THE EQUINOX Vol.I. No. VII, 1st part of three. ASCII VERSION August 19, 1990 e.v. key entry by Fr. H.B. (class A material) and by Bill Heidrick, with first proofreading against the Ist edition 6/7/91 e.v. by Bill Heidrick, T.G. of O.T.O. --- could benefit from further proof reading Copyright (c) O.T.O. disk 1 of 3 O.T.O. P.O.Box 430 Fairfax, CA 94978 USA (415) 454-5176 ---- Messages only. Pages in the original are marked thus at the bottom: {page number} Comments and descriptions are also set off by curly brackets {} Comments and notes not in the original are identified with the initials of the source: AC note = Crowley note. WEH note = Bill Heidrick note, etc. Descriptions of illustrations are not so identified, but are simply in curly brackets. (Addresses and invitations below are not current but copied from the original text of the early part of the 20th century) All footnotes have been moved up to the place in text indexed and set off in double wedge brackets, viz. <> LIMITED LICENSE Except for notations added to the history of modification, the text on this diskette down to the next row of asterisks must accompany all copies made of this file. In particular, this paragraph and the copyright notice are not to be deleted or changed on any copies or print-outs of this file. With these provisos, anyone may copy this file for personal use or research. Copies may be made for others at reasonable cost of copying and mailing only, no additional charges may be added. ************************************************************************ READY SHORTLY ALEISTER CROWLEY'S New Masterpiece MORTADELLO or, The Angel of Venice A PLAY IN FIVE ACTS Write for Particulars to the Office of this Magazine {Illustrations described on two folio sheets preceding commencement of all text other than inside front cover, both black and white halftones: On the left-hand page (right is blank) are four photos of Crowley in various floor seated asanas. These photographs are rectangular and arranged to have one at top, two side-by-side at center and one at bottom. The top photo is numbered 4, the left center 5, right center 6 and bottom 7, all in the upper left corner of each in white on the black field. There is no caption at the top of the page, and the caption at the bottom of the page is: 4. The Arrowhead. . 5. The Bear. : These positions with bowed head are suitable 6. The Ivy. : for Asana and for meditation, but not for 7. The Parallelogram. . Pranayama. In all four of these photos, the mirror is vertical to the right, showing a three-quarter of the back and one side of Crowley's figure. Crowley's direct figure occupies the left half of the image. A leopard skin is only seen in the bottom photo, where he sits upon it and a portion of it is bunched up over his genitals. Owing to the bent forward nature of his figure in each of these four photos, Crowley's weight problem is very evident. In number 4, Crowley is frontal, seated with feet together at front, knees extended upward to right and left at 45 Degree from the floor, head bowed forward almost directly face down, arms straight forward from the shoulders to the floor with hands cupped on floor, palmer side toward genitals and obscuring feet. In number 5, Crowley is again frontal on floor, head bowed as before, knees together over face and feet together at ankles with toes directly forward. His arms hug the knees and upper part of lower legs such that the right is angled over the left and the inside of the elbows cup the knees. In number 6, Crowley presents his right side to the front, facing right. This is the only instance in which the mirror is necessary to show the posture. The left leg is flat on the floor from knee to foot, toes pointed to the viewer and knee farthest to the right directly parallel to the plane of the photo. His buttocks rest on his left heel. His right leg is knee to center right, foreleg canted to left such that it crosses the left leg above the knee and sets the right foot flat on the floor with toes to the right. His left forearm cannot be seen, but the left hand emerges below the right hip to grip the middle of the left lower leg, fingers around calf and under. His right arm is at 45 Degree down and under the right leg just above the knee, left hand and forearm invisible. His head rests on the right knee. In number 7, Crowley presents a 3/4 frontal with the left torso more visible than the right. His right leg is extended flat toward the left corner of the photo, toes extended and flexed backward. His right hand is straight from the shoulder with hand palmer down and fingers extended to touch great toe, thumb extended downward at right angles to fingers and palm. His left leg is extended toward the general direction of the lower right corner of the photo to the knee, then doubled back so that the foot cushions the left buttock. The torso is somewhat twisted so that the hip girdle is turned slightly clockwise from the shoulder girdle. The left arm is slightly akimbo but in contact with the left side back, elbow to the back and hand flat on the upper thigh with fingers flattened toward the knee. His head is bowed forward as before, somewhat toward the right thigh and slightly toward the center. His back crests above his head.} Titled at top left page (right page starts next text): "LIBER E. SUPPLEMENTARY INSTRUCTION IN ASANA" On the left page, there are three rectangular photographs displayed as a uniform vertical column with white separator lines between. The long axis of each of these photographs is horizontal. The photographs are numbered in the upper left corner of each from 1 to 3 in white, starting at the top. At the bottom of this page is the following caption: "1. The Dying Buddha . These three recumbent positions are 2. The Hanged Man. : more suitable for repose after medi- 3. The Corpse. . tation than for meditation itself." In each of these three photos, the background is black, there is a full length mirror standing on its long side in the rear, there is a leopard skin on the floor before the mirror and there is a small decorative white column to the right with identical black to the left. These columns are perhaps four or five feet tall and are like photographer's props of the kind used around the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th century to help a subject hold position during a time exposure. It is not a classical or even an Egyptian type, but has the usual mismatch of elements in such decorative pieces: In effect, the column is upside-down with the Abacus as a square base, the Cushion as a rounded flare just above that, no Volute, and the Necking as another rounded flare just above a concave ring. Immediately above this, cupping the base of the fluted shaft, is a stylized bud of four petals, open rather like a clip to hold the bottom of the shaft. The shaft is Doric if it is anything. The Capital is not of any Order, but is a ring below, next a concave with chevron scallops crowning out to support a thin top convex ring and a dead flat top. If these monstrosities would be named, I suppose one might call them Egyptianized French plant stands after the style of Napoleon IIIrd. Their excuse for being seems to be to prop up the mirror at a slight forward leaning angle. In all three of these photographs on the left-hand page, Crowley is shown recumbent and naked with his genitals air-brushed out. His pot-belly is medium to large. His head is shaved down the sagital with only a fore-lock left, but the hair to the sides and back is of normal length. In number 1, at the top, Crowley has head to left, body on right side with legs straight and directly parallel, left foot slightly down and straight over right. His left arm is flat along his body, hand palmer to body at hip and fingers flat toward feet. His right arm has elbow slightly to the fore and left of head, bent, with hand cupping right side of head in support. Face is slightly turned downward, showing only left eye and left side, but more to the front than to the floor. In this and all photos on this page, Crowley is recumbent on the leopard skin. In number 2, center, Crowley is flat on his back, head to right and looking up. His back is slightly arched. His arms form a triangle with hands behind head, hands and fore-arms completing the base of the triangle. His left leg is straight. His right leg is bent at knee and passes the foot beneath the knee of his left so that the fore-legs form an approximate cross like the figure commonly seen on the Hanged Man Tarot Trump. In all three photos on this page, the mirror in the back shows the side of Crowley's body away from the camera. In number 3, bottom, Crowley is laying dead flat, head to left and facing up, with arms flat on floor at sides and legs together and straight. ["These pages are reserved for Official Pronouncements by the Chancellor of the A".'." A".'.] Persons wishing for information, assistance, further interpretation, etc., are requested to communicate with THE CHANCELLOR OF THE A.'. A.'. c/o THE EQUINOX, 3 Great James Street, W.C. Telephone: CITY 8987, or to call at that address by appointment. A representative will be there to meet them. ====================== Probationers are reminded that the object of Probations and Ordeals is one: namely, to select Adepts. But the method appears twofold: (i) to fortify the fit; (ii) to eliminate the unfit. ====================== The Chancellor of the A.'. A.'. views without satisfaction the practice of Probationers working together. A Probationer should work with his Neophyte, or alone. Breach of this rule may prove a bar to advancement. ====================== Some of the weaker brethren having found the postures in Liber E too difficult, the pitiful heart of the Praemonstrator of A.'. A.'. has been moved to authorise the publication of additional postures, which will be found facing this page. An elderly, corpulent gentleman of sedentary habit has been good enough to pose, so that none need feel debarred from devoting himself to the Great Work on the ground of physical infirmity. Owing to the unnecessary strain thrown upon Neophytes by unprepared persons totally ignorant of the groundwork taking the Oath of a Probationer, the Imperator of A.'. A.'., under the seal and by the authority of V.V.V.V.V., ordains that every person wishing to become a Probationer of A.'. A.'. must first pass three months as a Student of the Mysteries. He must possess the following books: --- 1. The EQUINOX, from No. 1 to the current number. 2. "Raja Yoga," by Swami Vivekananda. 3. "The Shiva Sanhita," or "The Hathayoga Pradipika." 4. "Konx Om Pax." 5. "The Spiritual Guide," by Miguel de Molinos. 6. "777." 7. "Rituel et Dogme de la haute Magie," par Eliphaz Levi, or its translation, by A. E. Waite. 8. "The Goetia of the Lemegeton of Solomon the King." 9. "Tannhauser," by A. Crowley. 10. "The Sword of Song," by A. Crowley. 11. "Time," by A. Crowley. 12. "Eleusis," by A Crowley. [These four last times are to be found in his Collected Works.] 13. "The Book of the Sacred Magic of Abra-melin the Mage." An examination in these books will be made. The Student is expected to show a thorough acquaintance with them, but not necessarily to understand them in any deeper sense. On passing the examination he may be admitted to the grade of Probationer. THE EQUINOX "The Editor will be glad to consider contributions and to return such as are unacceptable if stamps are enclosed for the purpose" THE EQUINOX THE OFFICIAL ORGAN OF THE A.'. A.'. THE REVIEW OF SCIENTIFIC ILLUMINISM An. VIII VOL. I. NO. VII. Sun in Aries March MCMXII O.S. "THE METHOD OF SCIENCE---THE AIM OF RELIGION" WEILAND & CO. 3 GREAT JAMES STREET, GRAY'S INN LONDON, W.C. "Preliminaries, pages 1-248, and pages 355-400a of this Volume printed by Turnbull & Spears, Edinburgh; the remainder by the Chiswick Press, London" CONTENTS PAGE EDITORIAL 3 LIBER I 5 LIBER XI 11 LIBER LXIV 21 LIBER LXVI 29 LIBER CLXXV 37 LIBER CCVI 59 LIBER CCXXXI 69 LIBER CD 75 LIBER CDLXXIV 77 LIBER DLV 83 LIBER DCCCXXXI 93 LIBER DCCCLXVIII 101 LIBER CMXIII 105 ADONIS. BY ALEISTER CROWLEY 117 THE GHOULS. BY ALEISTER CROWLEY 159 THE FOUR WINDS. BY ALEISTER CROWLEY 179 INDEPENDENCE. BY ALEISTER CROWLEY 181 SHOWSTORM. BY ALEISTER CROWLEY 183 A BRIEF ABSTRACT OF THE SYMBOLIC REPRESENTATION OF THE UNIVERSE DERIVED BY DOCTOR JOHN DEE THROUGH THE SKRYING OF SIR EDWARD KELLY. BY ALEISTER CROWLEY 229 APOLLO BESTOWS THE VIOLIN. BY ALEISTER CROWLEY 244 DIANA OF THE INLET. BY KATHARINE SUSANNAH PRICHARD 249 SILENCE. BY ETHEL ARCHER 290 MEMORY OF LOVE. BY MEREDITH STARR 291 ACROSS THE GULF. BY ALEISTER CROWLEY 293 THE TEMPLE OF SOLOMON THE KING ("Continued") 355 MY CRAPULOUS CONTEMPORARIES. No. V., THE BISMARCK OF BATTERSEA. BY A. QUILLER, JUN. (ALEISTER CROWLEY) 401 ARTHUR IN THE AREA AGAIN. BY ALEISTER CROWLEY 407 THE BIG STICK. REVIEWS BY ALEISTER CROWLEY AND JOHN YARKER 411 A BIRTHDAY. BY ALEISTER CROWLEY 419 {1} LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS LIBER E (Two Plates) "facing Chancellor page" ALEISTER CROWLEY. BY AUGUSTUS JOHN "Frontispiece" FACING PAGE PRANAYAMA PROPERLY PERFORMED 62 THE SIGILS OF THE XXII 70 LIBER TAV 76 THE HOLY TABLE 230 SIGILLVM DEI AEMETH 232 THE FOUR GREAT WATCH-TOWERS WITHIN GENERAL VIEW . : THE GREAT WATCH-TOWER OF THE EAST : : " " " WEST : : 234 " " " NORTH : : " " " SOUTH : : THE BLACK CROSS, OR TABLE OF UNION . THE ENOCHIAN ALPHABET 238 THE SIGILS OF ARIES 242 THE STELE OF REVEALING (OBVERSE) 368 " " (REVERSE) 369 LIBER LEGIS 386 {2} {Illustration facing next page, slightly described. This is a pale gray-brown touche sketch titled on the tissue protector: "ALEISTER CROWLEY. A LITHOGRAPH BY AUGUSTE CLOT FROM THE SKETCH MADE BY AUGUSTUS JOHN." This is full page and sans border. It is signed "John 1911" in the upper left corner. Crowley is shown in 3/4 left profile face with upper shoulders and top chest to about two inches below knot of tie. He wears a suit with soft collar shirt and tie, too slightly modeled to identify detail. His head faces toward the left and is slightly canted upward, His eyes and mouth are closed.} EDITORIAL It is with no light heart that I take the reins of the government of this magazine from the hand of our beloved Editor, Aleister Crowley, a reproduction of whose portrait by Augustus John faces this page. For this Seventh Number of the EQUINOX is the most important that has hitherto appeared. It contains the Account of the Revelation made in Egypt to Frater P ... at The Equinox of the Gods, with facsimiles of Liber Legis and the Stele of Revealing, the base of all our Work. Yet it behoves our Editor, our Brother, our Friend, and our Father, to enter upon that Magical Retirement which has been so wonderfully ushered in by our Seven Times Blessed Soror VIRAKAM. And so let us leave Him, seated upon the Immortal Lily, his body fixed as the Earth, his Spirit freer and as boundless as the Air, his Soul a piercing Flame of Fire; what new wonder, what further Unveiling he may being, let us not ask; let us await with that eager Scepticism which is his own unsullied sword. * * * * * * * Coincident with the retirement of Aleister Crowley, who always pays for everything, comes a rise in the price of this Magazine, to meet the great expense of the coloured plates and other illustrations, and the Great Hebrew Dictionary in No. VIII. {3} * * * * * * * The American market having absorbed nearly all unsold copies of back numbers, the price of all copies of Nos. I. and II. is advanced to one guinea, that of Nos. III.-VI. to half-a-guinea. There are still a few sets of the Edition de Luxe at ten guineas; single numbers, two guineas each. We shall be glad to buy saleably undamaged copies at a small discount on these prices. * * * * * * * FRATER PERDVRABO has now written a complete Illustrated Treatise on Mysticism and Magick at the request, and by the hand, of SOROR VIRAKAM. It is written to suit those who as yet know nothing of the subject. It will be published shortly at a popular price, under the title of BOOK FOUR. MARY D'ESTE. LIBER B VEL MAGI SVB FIGVRA I {5} A.'. A.'. Publication in Class B. Imprimatur: N. Fra A.'. A.'. LIBER B VEL MAGI SVB FIGVRA I 00. One is the Magus: twain His forces; four His weapons. These are the Seven Spirits of Unrighteousness; seven vultures of evil. Thus is the art and craft of the Magus but glamour. How shall He destroy Himself? 0. Yet the Magus hath power upon the Mother both directly and through love. And the Magus is Love, and bindeth together That and This in His Conjuration. 1. In the beginning doth the Magus speak Truth, and send forth Illusion and Falsehood to enslave the soul. Yet therein is the Mystery of Redemption. 2. By his Wisdom made He the Worlds: the Word that is God is none other than He. 3. Now then shall He end His Speech with Silence? For He is Speech. 4. He is the First and the Last. How shall He cease to number Himself? 5. By a Magus is this writing made known through the mind of a Magister. The one uttereth clearly, and the other Understandeth; yet the Word is falsehood, and the Understanding darkness. And this saying is Of All Truth. {7} 6. Nevertheless it is written; for there be times of darkness, and this as a lamp therein. 7. With the Wand createth He. 8. With the Cup preserveth He. 9. With the Dagger destroyeth He. 10. With the Coin redeemeth He. 11. His weapons fulfil the wheel; and on What Axle that turneth is not known unto Him. 12. From all these actions must He cease before the curse of His Grade is uplifted from Him. Before He attain to That which existeth without Form. 13. And if at this time He be manifested upon earth as a Man, and therefore is this present writing, let this be His method, that the curse of His grade, and the burden of His attainment, be uplifted from Him. 14. Let Him beware of abstinence from action. For the curse of His grade is that he must speak Truth, that the Falsehood thereof may enslave the souls of men. Let Him then utter that without Fear, that the Law may be fulfilled. And according to His Original Nature will that law be shapen, so that one may declare gentleness and quietness, being an Hindu; and another fierceness and servility, being a Jew; and yet another ardour and manliness, being an Arab. Yet this matter toucheth the mystery of Incarnation, and is not here to be declared. 15. Now the grade of a Magister teacheth the Mystery of Sorrow, and the grade of a Magus the Mystery of Change, and the grade of Ipsissimus the Mystery of Selflessness, which is called also the Mystery of Pan. 16. Let the Magus then contemplate each in turn, raising {8} it to the ultimate power of Infinity. Wherein Sorrow is Joy, and Change is Stability, and Selflessness is Self. For the interplay of the parts hath no action upon the whole. And this contemplation shall be performed not by simple meditation --- how much less then by reason! but by the method which shall have been given unto Him in His initiation to the Grade. 17. Following which method, it shall be easy for Him to combine that trinity from its elements, and further to combine Sat-Chit-Ananda, and Light, Love, Life, three by three into nine that are one, in which meditation success shall be That which was first adumbrated to Him in the grade of Practicus (which reflecteth Mercury into the lowest world) in Liber XXVII, "Here is Nothing under its three forms." 18. And this is the Opening of the Grade of Ipsissimus, and by the Buddhists it is called the trance Nerodha-Samapatti. 19. And woe, woe, woe, yea woe, and again woe, woe, woe, unto seven times be His that preacheth not His law to men! 20. And woe also be unto Him that refuseth the curse of the grade of a Magus, and the burden of the Attainment thereof. 21. And in the word CHAOS let the book be sealed, yea, let the Book be sealed. {9} LIBER NV SVB FIGVRA XI {11} A.'. A.'. Publication in Class D (for Winners of the Ordeal X.) Imprimatur: {three flags/axes meaning "Neteru"}... V.V.V.V.V. ... N. Fra A.'. A.'. O.M. 7 Degree = 4 Square LIBER NV SVB FIGVRA XI 000. This is the Book of the Cult of the Infinite Without. 00. The Aspirant is Hadit. Nuit is the infinite expansion of the Rose; Hadit is the infinite concentration of the Rood. ("Instruction of V.V.V.V.V.") 1. Worship, "i.e." identify thyself with, the Khabs, the secret Light within the Heart. Within this, again, unextended, is Hadit. "This is the first practice of Meditation "("ccxx. I." 6 "and" 21). 2. Adore and understand the Rim of the Stele of Revealing. "Above, the gemmed azure is The naked splendour of Nuit; She bends in ecstasy to kiss The secret ardours of Hadit." "This is the first practice of intelligence" ("ccxx. I." 14). 3. Avoid any act of choice or discrimination "This is the first practice of Ethics" ("ccxx. I." 22). {13} 4. Consider of six and fifty that 50 divided by 6 = 0.12. 0 the circumference, Nuit. . the centre, Hadit. 1 the unity proceeding, Ra-Hoor-Khuit. 2 the world of illusion. Nuit thus comprehends All in None. Also 50 + 6 = 56 = 5 + 6 + 11, the key of all Rituals. And 50 x 6 = 300, the Spirit of the Child within. (Note N-digamma-iota-sigma= 72, the Shemhamphorash and the Quinaries of the Zodiac, etc.) "This is the second practice of Intelligence "("ccxx. I." 24, 25). 5. The Result of this Practice is the Consciousness of the Continuity of Existence, the Omnipresence of the Body of Nuit. In other words, the Aspirant is conscious only of the Infinite Universe as a single Being. (Note for this the importance of Paragraph 3. ED.) "This is the first Indication of the Nature of the Result "("ccxx. I." 26.) 6. Meditate upon Nuit as the Continuous One resolved into None and Two as the phases of her being. [For the Universe being self-contained must be capable of expression by the formula "n"-"n" = 0. For if not, let it be expressed by the formula "n"-"m"= "p". That is, the Infinite moves otherwise than within itself, which is absurd. ED.] "This is the second practice of Meditation "("ccxx. I." 27). 7. Meditate upon the facts of Samadhi on all planes, the liberation of heat in chemistry, joy in natural history, Ananda {14} in religion, when two things join to lose themselves in a third. "This is the third practice of Meditation "("ccxx. I." 28, 29, 30). 8. Let the Aspirant pay utmost reverence to the Authority of the A.'. A.'. and follow Its instructions, and let him swear a great Oath of Devotion unto Nuit. "This is the second practice of Ethics "("ccxx. I." 32). 9. Let the Aspirant beware of the slightest exercise of his will against another being. Thus, lying is a better posture than sitting or standing, as it opposes less resistance to gravitation. Yet his first duty is to the force nearest and most potent; "e.g." he may rise to greet a friend. "This is the third practice of Ethics "("ccxx. I." 41). 10. Let the Aspirant exercise his will without the least consideration for any other being. This direction cannot be understood, much less accomplished, until the previous practice has been perfected. "This is the fourth practice of Ethics "("ccxx. I." 42, 43, 44). 11. Let the Aspirant comprehend that these two practices are identical. "This is the third practice of Intelligence "("ccxx. I." 45). 12. Let the Aspirant live the Life Beautiful and Pleasant. For this freedom hath he won. But let each act, especially of love, be devoted wholly to his true mistress, Nuit. "This is the fifth practice of Ethics "("ccxx. I." 51, 52, 61, 63). 13. Let the Aspirant yearn toward Nuit under the stars of Night, with a love directed by his Magical Will, not merely proceeding from the heart. "This is the first practice of Magick Art "("ccxx. I." 57). {15} 14. The Result of this Practice in the subsequent life of the Aspirant is to fill him with unimaginable joys: to give him certainty concerning the nature of the phenomenon called death; to give him peace unalterable, rest, and ecstasy. "This is the second Indication of the Nature of the Result " ("ccxx. I." 58). 15. Let the Aspirant prepare a perfume of resinous woods and gums, according to his inspiration. "This is the second practice of Magick Art "("ccxx. I." 59). 16. Let the Aspirant prepare a Pantacle, as follows. Inscribe a circle within a Pentagram, upon a ground square or of such other convenient shape as he may choose. Let the circle be scarlet, the Pentagram black, the ground royal blue studded with golden stars. Within the circle, at its centre, shall be painted a sigil that shall be revealed to the Aspirant by Nuit Herself. And this Pentacle shall serve for a Telismatic Image, or as an Eidolon, or as a Focus for the mind. "This is the third practice of Magick Art "("ccxx. I." 60). 17. Let the Aspirant find a lonely place, if possible a place in the Desert of Sand, or if not, a place unfrequented, and without objects to disturb the view. Such are moorlands, fens, the open sea, broad rivers, and open fields. Also, and especially, the summits of mountains. There let him invoke the Goddess as he hath Wisdom and Understanding so to do. But let this Invocation be that of a pure heart, "i.e." a heart wholly devoted to Her, and let him remember that it is Hadit Himself in the most secret place thereof that invoketh. Then let this serpent Hadit burst into flame. {16} "This is the forth practice of Magick Art "("ccxx. i." 61}. 18. Then shall the Aspirant come a little to lie in Her bosom. "This is the third Indication of the Nature of the Result "("ccxx. I." 61). 19. Let the Aspirant stand upon the edge of a precipice in act or in imagination. And let him imagine and suffer the fear of falling. Next let him imagine with this aid that the Earth is falling, and he with it, or he from it; and considering the infinity of space, let him excite the fear within him to the point of ecstasy, so that the most dreadful dream of falling that he hath ever suffered be as nothing in comparison. "This is the fourth practice of Meditation. "("Instruction of V.V.V.V.V.") 20. Thus having understood the nature of this Third Indication, let him in his Magick Rite fall from himself into Nuit, or expand into Her, as his imagination may compel him. And at that moment, desiring earnestly the Kiss of Nuit, let him give one particle of dust, "i.e." let Hadit give himself up utterly to Her. "This is the fifth practice of Magick Art" ("ccxx. I." 61). 21. Then shall he lose all in that hour. "This is the fourth Indication of the Nature of the Result" ("ccxx. I." 61). 22. Let the Aspirant prepare a lovesong of rapture unto the Goddess, or let him be inspired by Her unto this. "This is the sixth practice of Magick Art" ("ccxx. "63). 23. Let the Aspirant be clad in a single robe. An {17} "abbai" of scarlet wrought with gold is most suitable. (The abbai is not unlike the Japanese Kimono. It must fold simply over the breast without belt or other fastening. ED.) "This is the seventh practice of Magick Art "("ccxx. I." 61). 24. Let the Aspirant wear a rich head-dress. A crown of gold adorned with sapphires or diamonds with a royal blue cap of maintenance, or nemmes, is most suitable. "This is the eighth practice of Magick Art" ("ccxx. I." 61). 25. Let the Aspirant wear many jewels such as he may possess. "This is the ninth practice of Magical Art" ("ccxx. I." 63). 26. Let the Aspirant prepare an Elixir or libation as he may have wit to do. "This is the tenth practice of Magick Art" ("ccxx. I." 63). 27. Let the Aspirant invoke, lying supine, his robe spread out as it were a carpet. "This is the eleventh practice of Magical Art." ("Instruction of V.V.V.V.V.") 28. Summary. Preliminaries. These are the necessary possessions. 1. The Crown or head-dress. 2. The Jewels. 3. The Pantacle. 4. The Robe. 5. The Song or Incantation. 6. The Place of Invocation. 7. The Perfume. 8. The Elixir. {18} 29. Summary continued. Preliminaries. These are the necessary comprehensions. 1. The Natures of Nuit and Hadit, and their relation. 2. The Mystery of the Individual Will. 30. Summary continued. Preliminaries. These are the meditations necessary to be accomplished. 1. The discovery of Hadit in the Aspirant, and identification with him. 2. The continuous One. 3. The value of the Equation "n" + (-"n"). 4. Cremnophobia. 31. Summary continued. Preliminaries. These are the Ethical Practices to be accomplished. 1. Assertion of Kether-point-of-view. 2. Reverence to the Order. 3. Abolition of human will. 4. Exercise of true will. 5. Devotion to Nuit throughout a beautified life. 32. Summary continued. The Actual Rite. 1. Retire to desert with crown and other insignia and implements. 2. Burn perfume. 3. Chant incantation. 4. Drink unto Nuit of the Elixir. 5. Lying supine, with eyes fixed on the stars, practice the sensation of falling into nothingness. 6. Being actually within the bosom of Nuit, let Hadit surrender Himself. {19} 33. Summary concluded. The Results. 1. Expansion of consciousness to that of the Infinite. 2. "Loss of all" the highest mystical attainment. 3. True Wisdom and Perfect Happiness. {20} LIBER ISRAFEL SVB FIGVRA LXIV {21} A.'. A.'. Publication in Class B. Imprimatur: N. Fra A.'. A.'. LIBER ISRAFEL SVB FIGVRA LXIV {This book was formerly called "Anubis," and is referred to the 20th key, "The Angel."] 0. The Temple being in darkness, and the Speaker ascended into his place let him begin by a ritual of the Enterer, as followeth. 1. HB:Vau Priocul, O procul este profani. 2. Bahlasti! Ompehda! 3. In the name of the Mighty and Terrible One, I proclaim that I have banished the Shells unto their habitations. 4. I invoke Tahuti, the Lord of Wisdom and of Utterance, the God that cometh forth from the Veil. 5. O Thou! Majesty of Godhead! Wisdom-crowned Tahuti! Lord of the Gates of the Universe! Thee, Thee, I invoke. O Thou of the Ibis Head! Thee, Thee I invoke. Thou who wieldest the Wand of Double Power! Thee, Thee I invoke! Thou who bearest in Thy left hand the Rose and Cross of Light and Life: Thee, Thee, I invoke. Thou, whose head is as an emerald, and Thy nemmes as the night-sky blue! Thee, Thee I invoke. {23} Thou, whose skin is of flaming orange as though it burned in a furnace! Thee, Thee I invoke. 6. Behold! I am Yesterday, To-Day, and the Brother of To-Morrow! I am born again and and again. Mine is the Unseen Force, whereof the Gods are sprung! Which is as Life unto the Dwellers in the Watch-Towers of the Universe. I am the Charioteer of the East, Lord of the Past and of the Future. I see by mine own inward light: Lord of Resurrection; Who cometh forth from the Dusk, and my birth is from the House of Death. 7. O ye two Divine Hawks upon your Pinnacles! Who keep watch over the Universe! Ye who company the Bier to the House of Rest! Who pilot the Ship of Ra advancing onwards to the heights of heaven! Lord of the Shrine which standeth in the Centre of the Earth! 8. Behold, He is in me, and I in Him! Mine is the Radiance, wherein Ptah floatheth over the firmament! I travel upon high! I tread upon the firmament of Nu! I raise a flashing flame, with the lightning of Mine Eye! Ever rushing on, in the splendour of the daily glorified Ra: giving my life to the Dwellers of Earth. 9. If I say "Come up upon the mountains!" the Celestial Waters shall flow at my Word. {24} For I am Ra incarnate! Kephra created in the Flesh! I am the Eidolon of my father Tmu, Lord of the City of the Sun! 10. The God who commands is in my mouth! The God of Wisdom is in my Heart! My tongue is the Sanctuary of Truth! And a God sitteth upon my lips. 11. My Word is accomplished every day! And the desire of my heart realises itself, as that of Ptah when He createth! I am Eternal; therefore all things are as my designs; therefore do all things obey my Word. 12. Therefore do Thou come forth unto me from Thine abode in the Silence: Unutterable Wisdom! All-Light! All-Power! Thoth! Hermes! Mercury! Odin! By whatever name I call Thee, Thou art still nameless to Eternity:. Come Thou forth, I say, and aid and guard me in this work of Art. 13. Thou, Star of the East, that didst conduct the Magi! Thou art The Same all-present in Heaven and in Hell! Thou that vibratest between the Light and the Darkness! Rising, descending! Changing ever, yet ever The Same! The Sun is Thy Father! Thy Mother is the Moon! {25} The Wind hath borne Thee in its bosom: and Earth hath ever nourished the changeless Godhead of Thy Youth! 14. Come Thou forth, I say, come Thou forth! And make all Spirits subject unto Me: So that every Spirit of the Firmament And of the Ether. And of the Earth. And under the Earth. On dry land And in the Water. Of whirling Air And of rushing Fire. And every Spell and Scourge of God the Vast One, may be obedient unto Me! 15. I invoke the priestess of the Silver Star, Asi the Curved One, by the ritual of Silence. 16. I make open the gate of Bliss; I descend from the Palace of the Stars; I greet you, I embrace you, O children of Earth, that are gathered together in the Hall of Darkness. 17. (A pause.) 18. The Speech in the Silence. The Words against the Son of Night. The Voice of Tahuti in the Universe in the Presence of the Eternal. The Formulas of Knowledge. The Wisdom of Breath. The Root of Vibration. The Shaking of the Invisible. The Rolling Asunder of the Darkness. The Becoming Visible of Matter. {26} The Piercing of the Scales of the Crocodile. The Breaking Forth of the Light! 19. (Follows the Lection.) 20. There is an end of the speech; let the Silence of darkness be broken; let it return into the silence of light. 21. The speaker silently departs; the listeners disperse unto their homes; yea, they disperse unto their homes. {27} LIBER STELLAE RUBEAE A secret ritual of Apep, the Heart of IAO-OAI, delivered unto V.V.V.V.V. for his use in a certain matter of Liber Legis, and written down under the figure LXVI {29} A.'. A.'. Publication in Class A. Imprimatur: N. Fra A.'. A.'. LIBER STELLAE RUBEAE<> 1. Apep deifieth Asar. 2. Let excellent virgins evoke rejoicing, son of Night! 3. This is the book of the most secret cult of the Ruby Star. It shall be given to none, save to the shameless in deed as in word. 4. No man shall understand this writing --- it is too subtle for the sons of men. 5. If the Ruby Star have shed its blood upon thee; if in the season of the moon thou hast invoked by the Iod and the Pe, then mayest thou partake of this most secret sacrament. 6. One shall instruct another, with no care for the matters of men's thought. 7. There shall be a fair altar in the midst, extended upon a black stone. 8. At the head of the altar gold, and twin images in green of the Master. 9. In the midst a cup of green wine. 10. At the foot the Star of Ruby. 11. The altar shall be entirely bare. 12. First, the ritual of the Flaming Star. 13. Next, the ritual of the Seal. {31} 14. Next, the infernal adorations of OAI Mu pa telai, Tu wa melai a, a, a. Tu fu tulu! Tu fu tulu Pa, Sa, Ga. Qwi Mu telai Ya Pu melai; u, u, u. 'Se gu malai; Pe fu telai, Fu tu lu. O chi balae Wa pa malae: --- Ut! Ut! Ut! Ge; fu latrai, Le fu malai Kut! Hut! Nut! Al OAI Rel moai Ti --- Ti --- Ti! Wa la pelai Tu fu latai Wi, Ni, Bi. 15. Also thou shalt excite the wheels with the five wounds and the five wounds. 16. Then thou shalt excite the wheels with the two and {32} the third in the midst; even Saturn and Jupiter, Sun and Moon, Mars and Venus, and Mercury. 17. Then the five --- and the sixth. 18. Also the altar shall fume before the master with incense that hath no smoke. 19. That which is to be denied shall be denied; that which is to be trampled shall be trampled; that which is to be spat upon shall be spat upon. 20. These things shall be burnt in the outer fire. 21. Then again the master shall speak as he will soft words, and with music and what else he will bring forward the Victim. 22. Also he shall slay a young child upon the altar, and the blood shall cover the altar with perfume as of roses. 23. Then shall the master appear as He should appear --- in His glory. 24. He shall stretch himself upon the altar, and awake it into life, and into death. 25. (For so we conceal that life which is beyond.) 26. The temple shall be darkened, save for the fire and the lamp of the altar. 27. There shall he kindle a great fire and a devouring. 28. Also he shall smite the altar with his scourge, and blood shall flow therefrom. 29. Also he shall have made roses bloom thereon. 30. In the end he shall offer up the Vast Sacrifice, at the moment when the God licks up the flame upon the altar. 31. All these things shalt thou perform strictly, observing the time. 32. And the Beloved shall abide with Thee. {33} 33. Thou shalt not disclose the interior world of this rite unto any one: therefore have I written it in symbols that cannot be understood. 34. I who reveal the ritual am IAO and OAI; the Right and the Averse. 35. These are alike unto me. 36. Now the Veil of this operation is called Shame, and the Glory abideth within. 37. Thou shalt comfort the heart of the secret stone with the warm blood. Thou shalt make a subtle decoction of delight, and the Watchers shall drink thereof. 38. I, Apep the Serpent, am the heart of IAO. Isis shall await Asar, and I in the midst. 39. Also the Priestess shall seek another altar, and perform my ceremonies thereon. 40. There shall be no hymn nor dithyramb in my praise and the praise of the rite, seeing that it is utterly beyond. 41. Thou shalt assure thyself of the stability of the altar. 42. In this rite thou shalt be alone. 43. I will give thee another ceremony whereby many shall rejoice. 44. Before all let the Oath be taken firmly as thou raisest up the altar from the black earth. 45. In the words that Thou knowest. 46. For I also swear unto thee by my body and soul that shall never be parted in sunder that I dwell within thee coiled and ready to spring. 47. I will give thee the kingdoms of the earth, O thou Who hast mastered the kingdoms of the East and of the West. {34} 48. I am Apep, O thou slain One. Thou shalt slay thyself upon mine altar: I will have thy blood to drink. 49. For I am a mighty vampire, and my children shall suck up the wine of the earth which is blood. 50. Thou shalt replenish thy veins from the chalice of heaven. 51. Thou shalt be secret, a fear to the world. 52. Thou shalt be exalted, and none shall see thee; exalted, and none shall suspect thee. 53. For there are two glories diverse, and thou who hast won the first shalt enjoy the second. 54. I leap with joy within thee; my head is arisen to strike. 55. O the lust, the sheer rapture, of the life of the snake in the spine! 56. Mightier than God or man, I am in them, and pervade them. 57. Follow out these my words. 58. Fear nothing. Fear nothing. Fear nothing. 59. For I am nothing, and me thou shalt fear, O my virgin, my prophet within whose bowels I rejoice. 60. Thou shalt fear with the fear of love: I will overcome thee. 61. Thou shalt be very nigh to death. 62. But I will overcome thee; the New Life shall illumine thee with the Light that is beyond the Stars. 63. Thinkest thou? I, the force that have created all, am not to be despised. 64. And I will slay thee in my lust. {35} 65. Thou shalt scream with the joy and the pain and the fear and the love --- so that the Lambda-Omicron-Gamma-Omicron-Sigma of a new God leaps out among the Stars. 66. There shall be no sound heard but this thy lion-roar of rapture; yea, this thy lion-roar of rapture. {36} ASTARTE VEL LIBER BERYLLI SVB FIGVRA CLXXV {37} A.'. A.'. Publication in Class B. Imprimatur: N. Fra A.'. A.'. LIBER ASTARTE VEL BERYLLI SVB FIGVRA CLXXV 0. This is the Book of Uniting Himself to a particular Deity by devotion. 1. "Considerations before the Threshold." First concerning the choice of a particular Deity. This matter is of no import, sobeit that thou choose one suited to thine own highest nature. Howsoever, this method is not so suitable for gods austere as Saturn, or intellectual as Thoth. But for such deities as in themselves partake in anywise of love it is a perfect mode. 2. "Concerning the prime method of this Magick Art." Let the devotee consider well that although Christ and Osiris be one, yet the former is to be worshipped with Christian, and the latter with Egyptian rites. And this although the rites themselves are ceremonially equivalent. There should, however, be "one" symbol declaring the transcending of such limitations; and with regard to the Deity also, there should be some "one" affirmation of his identity both with all other similar gods of other nations, and with the Supreme of whom all are but partial reflections. 3. "Concerning the chief place of devotion." This is the Heart of the Devotee, and should be symbolically represented {39} by that room or spot which he loves best. And the dearest spot therein shall be the shrine of his temple. It is most convenient if this shrine and altar should be sequestered in woods, or in a private grove, or garden. But let it be protected from the profane. 4. "Concerning the Image of the Deity." Let there be an image of the Deity; first because in meditation there is mindfulness induced thereby; and second because a certain power enters and inhabits it by virtue of the ceremonies; or so it is said, and We deny it not. Let this image be the most beautiful and perfect which the devotee is able to procure; or if he be able to paint or to carve the same, it is all the better. As for Deities with whose nature no Image is compatible, let them be worshipped in an empty shrine. Such are Brahma, and Allah. Also some postcaptivity conceptions of Jehovah. 5. "Further concerning the shrine." Let this shrine be furnished appropriately as to its ornaments, according to the book 777. With ivy and pine-cones, that is to say, for Bacchus, and let lay before him both grapes and wine. So also for Ceres let there be corn, and cakes; or for Diana moon-wort and pale herbs, and pure water. Further it is well to support the shrine with talismans of the planets, signs and elements appropriate. But these should be made according to the right Ingenium of the Philosophus by the light of the Book 777 during the course of his Devotion. It is also well, nevertheless, if a magick circle with the right signs and names be made beforehand. 6. "Concerning the Ceremonies." Let the Philosophus prepare a powerful Invocation of the particular Deity according to his Ingenium. But let it consist of these several parts: {40} First, an Imprecation, as of a slave unto his Lord. Second, an Oath, as of a vassal to his Liege. Third, a Memorial, as of a child to his Parent. Fourth, an Orison, as of a Priest unto his God. Fifth, a Colloquy, as of a Brother with his Brother. Sixth, a Conjuration, as to a Friend with his Friend. Seventh, a Madrigal, as of a Lover to his Mistress. And mark well that the first should be of awe, the second of fealty, the third of dependence, the fourth of adoration, the fifth of confidence, the sixth of comradeship, the seventh of passion. 7. "Further concerning the ceremonies." Let then this Invocation be the principal part of an ordered ceremony. And in this ceremony let the Philosophus in no wise neglect the service of a menial. Let him sweep and garnish the place, sprinkling it with water or with wine as is appropriate to the particular Deity, and consecrating it with oil, and with such ritual as may seem him best. And let all be done with intensity and minuteness. 8. "Concerning the period of devotion, and the hours thereof." Let a fixed period be set for the worship; and it is said that the least time is nine days by seven, and the greatest seven years by nine. And concerning the hours, let the Ceremony be performed every day thrice, or at least once, and let the sleep of the Philosophus be broken for some purpose of devotion at least once in every night. Now to some it may seem best to appoint fixed hours for the ceremony, to others it may seem that the ceremony should be performed as the spirit moves them so to do: for this there is no rule. {41} 9. "Concerning the Robes and Instruments." The Wand and Cup are to be chosen for this Art; never the Sword or Dagger, never the Pantacle, unless that Pantacle chance to be of a nature harmonious. But even so it is best to keep the Wand and Cup, and if one must choose, the Cup. For the Robes, that of a Philosophus, or that of an Adept Within is most suitable; or, the robe best fitted for the service of the particular Deity, as a bassara for Bacchus, a white robe for Vesta. So also, for Vesta, one might use for instrument the Lamp; or the sickle, for Chronos. 10. "Concerning the Incense and Libations." The incense should follow the nature of the particular Deity; as, mastic for Mercury, dittany for Persephone. Also the libations, as, a decoction of nightshade for Melancholia, or of Indian hemp for Uranus. 11. "Concerning the harmony of the ceremonies." Let all these things be rightly considered, and at length, in language of the utmost beauty at the command of the Philosophus, accompanied, if he has skill, by music, and interwoven, if the particular Deity be jocund, with dancing. And all being carefully prepared and rehearsed, let it be practised daily until it be wholly rhythmical with his aspiration, and as it were, a part of his being. 12. "Concerning the variety of the ceremonies." Now, seeing that every man differeth essentially from every other man, albeit in essence he is identical, let also these ceremonies assert their identity by their diversity. For this reason do We leave much herein to the right Ingenium of the Philosophus. 13. "Concerning the life of the devotee." First, let his way of life be such as is pleasing to the particular Deity. Thus to {42} invoke Neptune, let him go a-fishing; but if Hades, let him not approach the water that is hateful to Him. 14. "Further, concerning the life of the devotee." Let him cut away from his life any act, word, or thought, that is hateful to the particular Deity; as, unchastity in the case of Artemis, evasions in the case of Ares. Besides this, he should avoid all harshness or unkindness of any kind in thought, word, or deed, seeing that above the particular Deity is One in whom all is One. Yet also he may deliberately practice cruelties, where the particular Deity manifests His Love in that manner, as in the case of Kali, and of Pan. And therefore, before the beginning of his period of devotion, let him practise according to the rules of Liber Jugorum. 15. "Further concerning the life of the devotee." Now, as many are fully occupied with their affairs, let it be known that this method is adaptable to the necessities of all. And We bear witness that this which followeth is the Crux and Quintessence of the whole Method. First, if he have no Image, let him take anything soever, and consecrate it as an Image of his God. Likewise with his robes and instruments, his suffumigations and libations: for his Robe hath he not a nightdress; for his instrument a walking stick; for his suffumigation a burning match; for his libation a glass of water? But let him consecrate each thing that he useth to the service of that particular Deity, and not profane the same to any other use. 16. "Continuation." Next, concerning his time, if it be short. Let him labour mentally upon his Invocation, concentrating it, and let him perform this Invocation in his heart whenever {43} he hath the leisure. And let him seize eagerly upon every opportunity for this. 17. "Continuation." Third, even if he have leisure and preparation, let him seek ever to bring inward the symbols, so that even in his well ordered shrine the whole ceremony revolve inwardly in his heart, that is to say in the temple of his body, of which the outer temple is but an image. For in the brain is the shrine, and there is no Image therein; and the breath of man is the incense and the libation. 18. "Continuation." Further concerning occupation. Let the devotee transmute within the alembic of his heart every thought, or word, or act into the spiritual gold of his devotion. As thus: eating. Let him say: "I eat this food in gratitude to my Deity that hath sent it to me, in order to gain strength for my devotion to Him." Or: sleeping. Let him say: "I lie down to sleep, giving thanks for this blessing from my Deity, in order that I may be refreshed for new devotion to Him." Or: reading. Let him say: "I read this book that I may study the nature of my Deity, that further knowledge of Him may inspire me with deeper devotion to Him." Or: working. Let him say: "I drive my spade into the earth that fresh flowers (fruit, or what not) may spring up to His glory, and that I, purified by toil, may give better devotion to Him." Or: whatever it may be that he is doing, let him reason it out in his own mind, drawing it through circumstance and circumstance to that one end and conclusion of the matter. And let him not perform the act until he hath done this. {44} As it is written: Liber VII, cap. v. --- 22. "Every breath, every word, every thought is an act of love with thee. 23. "The beat of my heart is the pendulum of love. 24. "The songs of me are the soft sighs: 25. "The thoughts of me are very rapture: 26. "And my deeds are the myriads of Thy Children, the stars and the atoms." And Remember Well, that if thou wert in truth a lover, all this wouldst thou do of thine own nature without the slightest flaw or failure in the minutest part thereof. 19. "Concerning the Lections." Let the Philosophus read solely in his copies of the holy books of Thelema, during the whole period of his devotion. But if he weary, then let him read books which have no part whatever in love, as for recreation. But let him copy out each verse of Thelema which bears upon this matter, and ponder them, and comment thereupon. For therein is a wisdom and a magic too deep to utter in any other wise. 20. "Concerning the Meditations." Herein is the most potent method of attaining unto the End, for him who is thoroughly prepared, being purified by the practice of the Transmutation of deed into devotion, and consecrated by the right performance of the holy ceremonies. Yet herein is danger, for that the Mind is fluid as quicksilver, and bordereth upon the Abyss, and is beset by many sirens and devils that seduce and attack it to destroy it. Therefore let the devotee beware, and precise accurately his meditations, even as a man should build a canal from sea to sea. 21. "Continuation." Let then the Philosophus meditate {45} upon all love that hath ever stirred him. There is the love of David and of Jonathan, and the love of Abraham and Isaac, and the love of Lear and Cordelia, and the love of Damon and Pythias, and the love of Sappho and Atthis, and the love of Romeo and Juliet, and the love of Dante and Beatrice, and the love of Paolo and Francesca, and the love of Caesar and Lucrezia Borgia, and the love of Aucassin and Nicolette, and the love of Daphnis and Chloe, and the love of Cornelia and Caius Gracchus, and the love of Bacchus and Ariadne, and the love of Cupid and Psyche, and the love of Endymion and Artemis, and the love of Demeter and Persephone, and the love of Venus and Adonis, and the love of Lakshmi and Vishnu, and the love of Siva and Bhavani, and the love of Buddha and Ananda, and the love of Jesus and John, and many more. Also there is the love of many saints for their particular deity, as of St. Francis of Assisi for Christ, of Sri Sabhapaty Swami for Maheswara, of Abdullah Haji Shirazi for Allah, of St Ignatius Loyola for Mary, and many more. Now do thou take one such story every night, and enact it in thy mind, grasping each identity with infinite care and zest, and do thou figure thyself as one of the lovers and thy Deity as the other. Thus do thou pass through all adventures of love, not omitting one; and to each do thou conclude: How pale a reflection is this of my love for this Deity! Yet from each shalt thou draw some knowledge of love, some intimacy with love, that shall aid thee to perfect thy love. Thus learn the humility of love from one, its obedience from another, its intensity from a third, its purity from a fourth, its peace from yet a fifth. {46} So then thy love being made perfect, it shall be worthy of that perfect love of His. 22. "Further concerning meditation." Moreover let the Philosophus imagine to himself that he hath indeed succeeded in his devotion, and that his Lord hath appeared to him, and that they converse as may be fitting. 23. "Concerning the Mysterious Triangle." Now then as three cords separately may be broken by a child, while those same cords duly twisted may bind a giant, let the Philosophus learn to entwine these three methods of Magic into a Spell. To this end let him understand that as they are One, because the end is one, so are they One because the method is One, even the method of turning the mind toward the particular Deity by love in every act. And lest thy twine slip, here is a little cord that wrappeth tightly round and round all, even the Mantram or Continuous Prayer. 24. "Concerning the Mantram or Continuous Prayer." Let the Philosophus weave the Name of the Particular Deity into a sentence short and rhythmical, as, for Artemis: epsilon-pi-epsilon-lambda-theta-omicron- nu, epsilon-pi-epsilon-lambda-theta-omicron-nu, Alpha-rho-tau-epsilon- mu-iota-sigma; or, for Shiva: Namo Shivaya namaha Aum; or, for Mary: Ave Maria; or for Pan, chi-alpha-iota-rho-epsilon Sigma-omega-tau-eta- rho kappa-omicron-sigma-mu-omicron-upsilon, Iota-omega Pi-alpha-nu, Iota-omega Pi-alpha-nu; or, for Allah: Hua Allahu alazi lailaha illa Hua. Let him repeat this day and night without cessation mechanically in his brain, which is thus made ready for the advent of that Lord, and armed against all other. 25. "Concerning the Active and the Passive." Let the Philosophus change from the active love of his particular Deity to a state of passive waiting, even almost a repulsion, the repulsion not of distaste, but of sublime modesty. {47} As it is written, Liber LXV.ii. 59. I have called unto Thee, and I have journeyed unto Thee, and it availed me not. 60. I waited patiently, and Thou wast with me from the beginning. Then let him change back to the Active, until a veritable rhythm is established between the states, as it were the swinging of a Pendulum. But let him reflect that a vast intelligence is required for this; for he must stand as it were almost without himself to watch those phases of himself, And to do this is a high Art, and pertaineth not altogether to the grade of Philosophus. Neither is it of itself helpful, but rather the reverse, in this especial practice. 26. "Concerning silence." Now there may come a time in the course of this practice when the outward symbols of devotion cease, when the soul is as it were dumb in the presence of its God. Mark that this is not a cessation, but a transmutation of the barren seed of prayer into the green shoot of yearning. This yearning is spontaneous, and it shall be left to grow, whether it be sweet or bitter. For often times it is as the torment of hell in which the soul burns and writhes unceasingly. Yet it ends, and at its end continue openly thy Method. 27. "Concerning Dryness." Another state wherein at times the soul may fall is this dark night. And this is indeed purifying in such depths that the soul cannot fathom it. It is less like pain than like death. But it is the necessary death that comes before the rising of a body glorified. This state must be endured with fortitude; and no means of alleviating it may be employed. It may be broken up by the breaking up of the whole Method, and a return to the world without. This cowardice not only destroys the value {48} of all that has gone before, but destroys the value of the Oath of Fealty that thou hast sworn, and makes thy Will a mockery to men and gods. 28. "Concerning the Deceptions of the Devil." Note well that in this state of dryness a thousand seductions will lure thee away; also a thousand means of breaking thine oath in spirit without breaking it in letter. Against this thou mayst repeat the words of thine oath aloud again and again until the temptation be overcome. Also the devil will represent to thee that it were much better for this operation that thou do thus and thus, and seek to affright thee by fears for thy health or thy reason. Or he may send against thee visions worse than madness. Against all this there is but one remedy, the Discipline of thine Oath. So then thou shalt go through ceremonies meaningless and hideous to thee, and blaspheme shalt thou against thy Deity and curse Him. And this mattereth little, for it is not thou, so be that thou adhere to the Letter of thine Obligation. For thy Spiritual Sight is closed, and to trust it is to be led unto the precipice, and hurled therefrom. 29. "Further of this matter." Now also subtler than all these terrors are the Illusions of Success. For one instant's <> self-satisfaction or Expansion of thy Spirit, especially in this state of dryness, and thou art lost. For thou mayst attain the False Union with the Demon himself. Beware also of even the pride which rises from having resisted the temptations. But so many and so subtle are the wiles of Choronzon that the whole world could not contain their enumeration. The answer to one and all is the persistence in the literal fulfilment of the routine. Beware, then, last, of that devil {49} who shall whisper in thine ear that the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life, and answer: Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground, and die, it abideth alone, but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit. Yet shalt thou also beware of disputation with the devil, and pride in the cleverness of thine answers to him. Therefore, if thou hast not lost the power of silence, let it be first and last employed against him. 30. "Concerning the Enflaming of the Heart." Now learn that thy methods are dry, one and all. Intellectual exercises, moral exercises, they are not Love. Yet as a man, rubbing two dry sticks together for long, suddenly found a spark, so also from time to time will true love leap unasked into thy mediation. Yet this shall die and be reborn again and again. It may be that thou hast no tinder near. In the end shall come suddenly a great flame and a devouring, and burn thee utterly. Now of these sparks, and of these splutterings of flame, and of these beginnings of the Infinite Fire, thou shalt thus be aware. For the sparks thy heart shall leap up, and thy ceremony or meditation or toil shall seem of a sudden to go of its own will; and for the little flames this shall be increased in volume and intensity; and for the beginnings of the Infinite Fire thy ceremony shall be caught up unto ravishing song, and thy meditation shall be ecstasy, and thy toil shall be a delight exceeding pleasure thou hast ever known. And of the Great Flame that answereth thee it may not be spoken; for therein is the End of this Magick Art of Devotion. 31. "Considerations with regard to the use of symbols." It {50} is to be noted that persons of powerful imagination, will, and intelligence have no need of these material symbols. There have been certain saints who are capable of love for an idea as such without it being otherwise than degraded by "idolising" it, to use this word in its true sense. Thus one may be impassioned of beauty, without even the need of so small a concretion of it as "The beauty of Apollo", the "beauty of roses", the "beauty of Attis". Such persons are rare; it may be doubted whether Plato himself attained to any vision of absolute beauty without attaching to it material objects in the first place. A second class is able to contemplate ideals through this veil; a third class need a double veil, and cannot think of the beauty of a rose without a rose before them. For such is this Method of most use; yet let them know that there is this danger therein, that they may mistake the gross body of the symbol for the idea made concrete thereby. 32. "Considerations of further danger to those not purged of material thought." Let it be remembered that in the nature of the love itself is danger. The lust of the satyr for the nymph is indeed of the same nature as the affinity of Quicklime for water on the one hand, and of love of Ab for Ama on the other; so also is the triad Osiris, Isis, Horus like that of a horse, mare, foal, and of red, blue, purple. And this is the foundation of Correspondences. But it were false to say "Horus is a foal" or "Horus is purple". One may say: "Horus resembles a foal in this respect, that he is the offspring of two complementary beings". 33. "Further of this matter." So also many have said truly that all is one, and falsely that since earth is That One, and {51} ocean is That One, therefore earth is ocean. Unto Him good is illusion, and evil is illusion; therefore good is evil. By this fallacy of logic are many men destroyed. Moreover, there are those who take the image for the God; as who should say, my heart is in Tiphereth, and an Adeptus is in Tiphereth; I am therefore an adept. And in this practice the worst danger is this, that the love which is its weapon should fail in one of two ways. First, if the love lack any quality of love, so long is it not ideal love. For it is written of the Perfected One: "There is no member of my body which is not the member of some god." Therefore let not the Philosophus despise any form of love, but harmonise all. As it is written: Liber LXV, 32. "So therefore Perfection abideth not in the Pinnacles or in the Foundation, but in the harmony of One with all." Second, if any part of this love exceed, there is disease therein. As, in the love of Othello for Desdemona, love's jealousy overcame love's tenderness, so may it be in this love of a particular Deity. And this is more likely, since in this divine love no element may be omitted. It is by virtue of this completeness that no human love may in any way attain to more than to foreshadow a little part thereof. 34. "Concerning Mortifications." These are not necessary to this method. On the contrary, they may destroy the concentration, as counter- irritants to, and so alleviations of, the supreme mortification which is the Absence of the Deity invoked. Yet as in mortal love arises a distaste for food, or a pleasure in things naturally painful, this perversion should be endured {52} and allowed to take its course. Yet not to the interference with natural bodily health, whereby the instrument of the soul might be impaired. And concerning sacrifices for love's sake, they are natural to this Method, and right. But concerning voluntary privations and tortures, without use save as against the devotee, they are generally not natural to healthy natures, and wrong. For they are selfish. To scourge one's self serves not one's master; yet to deny one's self bread that one's child may have cake is the act of a true mother. 35. "Further concerning Mortifications." If thy body, on which thou ridest, be so disobedient a beast that by no means will he travel in the desired direction, or if thy mind be baulkish and eloquent as Balaam's fabled Ass, then let the practice be abandoned. Let the shrine be covered in sackcloth, and do thou put on habits of lamentation, and abide alone. And do thou return most austerely to the practice of Liber Jugorum, testing thyself by a standard higher than that hitherto accomplished, and punishing effractions with a heavier goad. Nor do thou return to thy devotion until that body and mind are tamed and trained to all manner of peaceable going. 36. "Concerning minor methods adjuvant in the ceremonies. I. Rising on the planes." By this method mayst thou assist the imagination at the time of concluding thine Invocation. Act as taught in Liber O, by the light of Liber 777. 37. "Concerning minor methods adjuvant in the ceremonies. II. Talismanic Magic." Having made by thine Ingenium a talisman or pantacle to represent the particular Deity, and {53} consecrated it with infinite love and care, do thou burn it ceremonially before the shrine, as if thereby giving up the shadow for the substance. But it is useless to do this unless thou do really in thine heart value the talisman beyond all else that thou hast. 38. "Concerning minor methods adjuvant in the ceremonies. III. Rehearsal." It may assist if the traditional history of the particular Deity be rehearsed before him; perhaps this is best done in dramatic form. This method is the main one recommended in the "Exercitios Espirituales" of St Ignatius, whose work may be taken as a model. Let the Philosophus work out the legend of his own particular Deity, and apportioning days to events, live that life in imagination, exercising the five senses in turn, as occasion arises. 39. "Concerning minor matters adjuvant in the ceremonies. IV. Duresse." This method consists in cursing a deity recalcitrant; as, threatening ceremonially "to burn the blood of Osiris, and to grind down his bones to power." This method is altogether contrary to the spirit of love unless the particular Deity be himself savage and relentless; as Jehovah or Kali. In such a case the desire to perform constraint and cursing may be the sign of the assimilation of the spirit of the devotee with that God, and so an advance to the Union with Him. 40. "Concerning the value of this particular form of Union or Samadhi." All Samadhi is defined as the ecstatic union of a subject and object in consciousness, with the result that a third thing arises which partakes in no way of the nature of the two. It would seem at first sight that it is of no importance {54} whatever to choose an object of meditation. For example, the Samadhi called Atmadarshana might arise from simple concentration of the thought on an imagined triangle, or on the heart. But as the union of two bodies in chemistry may be endothermic or exothermic, the combination of Oxygen with Nitrogen is gentle, while that of Oxygen with Hydrogen is explosive; and as it is found that the most heat is disengaged as a rule by the union of bodies most opposite in character, and that the compound resulting from such is most stable, so it seems reasonable to suggest that the most important and enduring Samadhi results from the contemplation of the Object most opposite to the devotee. [Other planes, it has been suggested that the most opposed types make the best marriages and produce the healthiest children. The greatest pictures and operas are those in which violent extremes are blended, and so generally in every field of activity. Even in mathematics, the greatest parallelogram is formed if the lines composing it are set at right angles. ED.] 41. "Conclusions from the foregoing." It may then be suggested to the Philosophus, that although his work will be harder his reward will be greater if he choose a Deity most remote from his own nature. This method is harder and higher than that of Liber E. For a simple object as there suggested is of the same nature as the commonest things of life, while even the meanest Deity is beyond uninitiated human understanding. On the same plane, too, Venus is nearer to man than Aphrodite, Aphrodite than Isis, Isis than Babalon, Babalon than Nuit. Let him decide therefore according to his discretion on the {55} one hand and his aspiration on the other; and let not one outrun his fellow. 42. "Further concerning the value of this Method." Certain objections arise. Firstly, in the nature of all human love is illusion, and a certain blindness. Nor is there any true love below the Veil of the Abyss. For this reason we give this method to the Philosophus, as the reflection of the Exempt Adept, who reflects the Magister Templi and the Magus. Let then the Philosophus attain this Method as a foundation of the higher Methods to be given to him when he attains those higher grades. Another objection lies in the partiality of this Method. This is equally a defect characteristic of the Grade. 43. "Concerning a notable danger of Success." It may occur that owing to the tremendous power of the Samadhi, overcoming all other memories as it should and does do, that the mind of the devotee may be obsessed, so that he declare his particular Deity to be sole God and Lord. This error has been the foundation of all dogmatic religions, and so the cause of more misery than all other errors combined. The Philosophus is peculiarly liable to this because from the nature of the Method he cannot remain sceptical; he must for the time believe in his particular Deity. But let him (1) consider that this belief is only a weapon in his hands, (2) affirm sufficiently that his Deity is but an emanation or reflection or eidolon of a Being beyond him, as was said in Paragraph 2. For if he fail herein, since man cannot remain permanently in Samadhi, the memorised Image in his mind will be degraded, and replaced by the corresponding Demon, to his utter ruin. {56} Therefore, after Success, let him not delight overmuch in his Deity, but rather busy himself with his other work, not permitting that which is but a step to become a goal. As it is written also, Liber CLXXXV.: "remembering that Philosophy is the Equilibrium of him that is in the House of Love." 44. "Concerning the secrecy and the rites of Blood." During this practice it is most wise that the Philosophus utter no word concerning his working, as if it were a Forbidden Love that consumeth him. But let him answer fools according to their folly; for since he cannot conceal his love from his fellows, he must speak to them as they may understand. And as many Deities demand sacrifice, one of men, another of cattle, a third of doves, let these sacrifices be replaced by the true sacrifices in thine own heart. Yet if thou must symbolise them outwardly for the hardness of thine heart, let thine own blood, and not another's, be spilt before that altar. <> Nevertheless, forget not that this practice is dangerous, and may cause the manifestation of evil things, hostile and malicious, to thy great hurt. 45. "Concerning a further sacrifice." Of this it shall be understood that nothing is to be spoken; nor need anything be spoken to him that hath wisdom to comprehend the number of the paragraph. And this sacrifice is fatal beyond all, unless it be a sacrifice indeed. Yet there are those who have dared and achieved thereby. 46. "Concerning yet a further sacrifice." Here it is spoken of actual mutilation. Such acts are abominable; and while {57} they may bring success in this Method, form an absolute bar to all further progress. And they are in any case more likely to lead to madness than to Samadhi. He indeed who purposeth them is already mad. 47. "Concerning human affection." During this practice thou shalt in no wise withdraw thyself from human relations, only figuring to thyself that thy father or thy brother or thy wife is as it were an image of thy particular Deity. Thus shall they gain, and not lose, by thy working. Only in the case of thy wife this is difficult, since she is more to thee than all others, and in this case thou mayst act with temperance, lest her personality overcome and destroy that of thy Deity. 48. "Concerning the Holy Guardian Angel." Do thou in no wise confuse this invocation with that. 49. "The Benediction." And so may the love that passeth all Understanding keep your hearts and minds through Iota-Alpha-Omega Alpha-Delta- Omicron-Nu-Alpha-Iota Sigma-Alpha-Beta-Alpha-Omega and through BABALON of the City of the Pyramids, and through Astarte, the Starry One green- girdled, in the name ARARITA. AMN. {58} LIBER RV VEL SPIRITVS SVB FIGVRA CCVI {59} A.'. A.'. Publication in Class B. Imprimatur: N. Fra A.'. A.'. LIBER RV VEL SPIRITVS SVB FIGVRA CCVI 2. Let the Zelator observe the current of his breath. 3. Let him investigate the following statements, and prepare a careful record of research. ("a") Certain actions induce the flow of the breath through the right nostril (Pingala); and, conversely, the flow of the breath through Pingala induces certain actions. ("b") Certain other actions induce the flow of the breath through the left nostril (Ida), and conversely. ("c") Yet a third class of actions induce the flow of the breath through both nostrils at once (Sushumna), and conversely. ("d") The degree of mental and physical activity is interdependent with the distance from the nostrils at which the breath can be felt by the back of the hand. 4. "First practice." --- Let him concentrate his mind upon the act of breathing, saying mentally, "The breath flows in," "The breath flows out," and record the results. (This practice may resolve itself into Mahasatipatthana ("vide" Liber {61} XXV) or induce Samadhi. Whichever occurs should be followed up as the right Ingenium of the Zelator, or the advice of his Practicus, may determine.) 5. "Second practice." Pranayama. This is outlined in Liber E. Further, let the Zelator accomplished in those practices endeavour to master a cycle of 10. 20. 40 or even 16. 32. 64. But let this be done gradually and with due caution. And when he is steady and easy both in Asana and Pranayama, let him still further increase the period. Thus let him investigate these statements which follow: ("a") If Pranayama be properly performed, the body will first of all become covered with sweat. This sweat is different in character from that customarily induced by exertion. If the Practitioner rub this sweat thoroughly into his body, he will greatly strengthen it. ("b") The tendency to perspiration will stop as the practice is continued, and the body become automatically rigid. Describe this rigidity with minute accuracy. ("c") The state of automatic rigidity will develop into a state characterised by violent spasmodic movements of which the Practitioner is unconscious, but of whose result he is aware. This result is that the body hops gently from place to place. After the first two or three occurrences of this experience, Asana is not lost. The body appears (on another theory) to have lost its weight almost completely, and to be moved by an unknown force. {62} {Illustration facing page 62 described. Top caption: "PRAMAYAMA {sic} PROPERLY PERFORMED. [It has been found necessary to show this because students were trying to do it without exertion, and in other ways incorrectly. --- ED.]" Bottom caption: "1. The end of Purakam. The bad definition of the image is due to the spasmodic trembling which accompanies the action. 2. Kunbhakam. 3. The end of Rekakam." These are halftone photographs like those of the fontispiece. They are three rectangular photos one-above-the-other in a vertical column. These are numbered in white 1 (top), 2 (center) and 3 (bottom) in the upper left corner of each. The field is black and the photos are separated by two thin white horizontal lines. Roughly the right half of each photo is composed of a mirror set at an angle to show the left side of the figure. There is a leopard skin beneath the figure, completely covering some sort of table or other medium sized support. The model is Crowley, as described for the fontispiece. The body is about 3/4 profile, showing directly the right side and chest. #1, top: Left leg with knee directly to the front of the figure on the floor, foot flat against floor with sole up and heal against right hip. Left leg in a squatting position, with knee upward and foreleg angled inward, ball of foot just beyond left ankle and on floor. Right arm extended straight at a slight angle and right elbow on right knee, hand open but with thumb and forefinger touching. Head very slightly back and eyes bugged out. Left hand appears to be closing the left nostril with thumb and forefinger. #2, center: Same as #1, except left hand is now straight at an angle with back of hand resting on left knee. Both hands are in mudra with thumb and index fingers touching while back of hand is on knee. Head fully erect, features expressionless with mouth closed, eyes straight ahead. #3, bottom: Legs as in #1 and #2. Back hunched forward slightly, neck and head bent forward and down, face at a 40 degree angle from the rear vertical. Left arm is bent at elbow and at rest on left thigh, left hand in same mudra as #1 but just back of knee on little finger side of hand. Right arm bent with thumb and forefinger joined to compress right nostril with outer side of forefinger. Face is in darkness.} ("d") As a development of this stage, the body rises into the air, and remains there for an appreciably long period, from a second to an hour or more. Let him further investigate any mental results which may occur. 6. "Third Practice." In order both to economise his time and to develop his powers, let the Zelator practise the deep full breathing which his preliminary exercises will have taught him during his walks. Let him repeat a sacred sentence (mantra), or let him count, in such a way that his footfall beats accurately with the rhythm thereof, as is done in dancing. Then let him practise Pranayama, at first without the Kumbakham, <> and paying no attention to the nostrils otherwise than to keep them clear. Let him begin by an indrawing of the breath for 4 paces, and a breathing out for 4 paces. Let him increase this gradually to 6.6, 8.8, 12.12, 16.16, and 24.24, or more if he be able. Next let him practise in the proper proportion 4.8, 6.12, 8.16, 12.24 and so on. Then if he choose, let him recommence the series, adding a gradually increasing period of Kumbhakham. <> 7. "Fourth practice." Following on this third practice, let him quicken his mantra and his pace until the walk develops into a dance. This may also be practised with the ordinary waltz step, using a mantra in three-time, such as epsilon-pi-epsilon-lambda-theta-omicron-nu, epsilon-pi-epsilon-lambda-theta-omicron-nu, Alpha-rho-tau-epsilon-mu- iota-sigma; or IAO, IAO SABAO; in such cases the practice may be combined with devotion to a particular deity: see Liber CLXXV. For the dance as such it is better to use a mantra of a non-committal character, such as tau-omicron epsilon-iota-nu-alpha-iota, tau-omicron kappa-alpha-lambda-omicron-nu, tau-omicron 'gamma-alpha-theta-alpha-nu, <> or the like. {63} 8. "Fifth practice." Let him practice mental concentration during the dance, and investigate the following experiments: ("a") The dance becomes independent of the will. ("b") Similar phenomena to those described in 5 ("a") ("b") ("c") ("d") occur. ("c") Certain important mental results occur. 9. A note concerning the depth and fullness of the breathing. In all proper expiration the last possible portion of air should be expelled. In this the muscles of the throat, chest, ribs, and abdomen must be fully employed, and aided by the pressing of the upper arms into the flanks, and of the head into the thorax. In all proper inspiration the last possible portion of air must be drawn into the lungs. In all proper holding of the breath, the body must remain absolutely still. Ten minutes of such practice is ample to induce profuse sweating in any place of a temperature of 17 Degree C or over. The progress of the Zelator in acquiring a depth and fullness of breath should be tested by the respirometer. The exercises should be carefully graduated to avoid overstrain and possible damage to the lungs. This depth and fullness of breath should be kept as much as possible, even in the rapid exercises, with the exception of the sixth practice following. 10. "Sixth Practice." Let the Zelator breathe as shallowly and rapidly as possible. He should assume the attitude of his moment of greatest expiration, and breathe only with the muscles of his throat. He may also practise lengthening the period between each shallow breathing. {64} (This may be combined when acquired with concentration on the Visuddhi cakkra, "i.e." let him fix his mind unwaveringly upon a point in the spine opposite the larynx. ED.) 11. <> "Seventh practice." Let the Zelator breathe as deeply and rapidly as possible. 12. "Eighth practice." Let the Zelator practise restraint of breathing in the following manner. At any stage of breathing let him suddenly hold the breath, enduring the need to breathe until it passes, returns, and passes again, and so on until consciousness is lost, either rising to Samadhi or similar supernormal condition, or falling into oblivion. 13. "Ninth practice." Let him practice the usual forms of Pranayama, but let Kumbhakham be used after instead of before expiration. Let him gradually increase the period of this Kumbhakham as in the case of the other. 14. A note concerning the conditions of these experiments. The conditions favourable are dry, bracing air, a warm climate, absence of wind, absence of noise, insects and all other disturbing influences, <> a retired situation, simple food eaten in great moderation at the conclusion of the practices of morning and afternoon, and on no account before practising. Bodily health is almost essential, and should be most carefully guarded. (See Liber CLXXXV., Task of a Neophyte). A diligent and tractable disciple, or the Practicus of the Zelator, should aid him in his work. Such a disciple should be noiseless, patient, vigilant, prompt, cheerful, of gentle manner and reverent to his master, intelligent to anticipate {65} his wants, cleanly and gracious, not given to speech, devoted and unselfish. With all this he should be fierce and terrible to strangers and all hostile influences, determined and vigorous, increasingly vigilant, the guardian of the threshold. It is not desirable that the Zelator should employ any other creature than a man, save in cases of necessity. Yet for some of these purposes a dog will serve, for others a woman. There are also others appointed to serve, but these are not for the Zelator. 15. "Tenth Practice." Let the Zelator experiment if he will with inhalations of oxygen, nitrous oxide, carbon dioxide, and other gases mixed in small proportion with his air during his practices. These experiments are to be conducted with caution in the presence of a medical man of experience, and they are only useful as facilitating a simulacrum of the results of the proper practices, and thereby enheartening the Zelator. 16. "Eleventh practice." Let the Zelator at an time during the practices, especially during the periods of Kumbhakham, throw his will utterly towards his Holy Guardian Angel, directing his eyes inward and upward, and turning back his tongue as if to swallow it. (This latter operation is facilitated by severing the fraenum linguae, which, if done, should be done by a competent surgeon. We do not advise this or any similar method of cheating difficulties. This is, however, harmless. <>) In this manner the practice is to be raised from the physical to the spiritual plane, even as the words Ruh, Ruach, Pneuma, Spiritus, Geist, Ghost, and indeed words of almost all languages, have been raised from their physical meanings of wind, air, breath, or movement, to the spiritual plane. {66} (RV is the old root meaning Yoni and hence Wheel (Fr. roue, Lat. rota, wheel), and the corresponding Semitic root means "to go". Similarly spirit is connected with "spiral." --- Ed.) 17. Let the Zelator attach no credit to any statements that may have been made throughout the course of this instruction, and reflect that even the counsel which we have given as suitable to the average case may be entirely unsuitable to his own. {67} LIBER LIBER ARCANORVM tau-omega-nu CARCERORVM tau-omega-nu ATV tau-omega-nu TAHVTI QLIPHOTH QUAS VIDIT CVM SVIS ASAR IN GENIIS AMENNTI SVB FIGVRA ADDVNTVR SIGILLA ET CCXXXI NOMINA EORVM {69} A.'. A.'. Publication in Class A. Imprimatur: N. Fra A.'. A.'. {Illustration on facing page presents a considerable problem in representation. It is composed of 44 sigils in two parallel tables with a cross reference column between them. These sigils correspond to the letters of the Hebrew alphabet. In this attempt to describe, the layout and captions will be presented first, and this will be followed by somewhat inadequate descriptions and partial representations of the individual sigils. Layout and captions: LIBER XXII DOMARUM MERCURII LIBER XXII CARCERORUM QLIPHOTH CUM SUIS GENIIS CUM SUIS GENNIIS .---.---.---. .---.---.---. :G :B :A : Compare :A :B :G : :---+---+---: A with Tz :---+---+---: :H :V :D : B " G :D :H :V : :---+---+---: G " B :---+---+---: :T :Ch :Z : D " A'a :Z :Ch :T : :---+---+---: H " Ch :---+---+---: :L :K :Y : V " K :Y :K :L : :---+---+---: Z " D :---+---+---: :S :N :M : Ch " H :M :N :S : :---+---+---: T " Sh :---+---+---: :Tz :P :A'a: Y " M :A'a:P :Tz : :---+---+---: K " V :---+---+---: :Sh :R :Q : L " S :Q :R :Sh : :---.---.---: M " S :---.---.---: :Th : N " Sh :Th : .-----------. S " Z .-----------. A'a " P P " Q Tz " A Q " P R " Z Sh " T Th " B In the above, the Hebrew letters are in the upper left corner of each box, except those of the right column of ...MERCURII... which are in the upper right corner of each box. Next, here is a description of the content of each box. This is necessarily incomplete in that some of the sigils are too obscure to admit a description. The boxes of ...MERCURII..., mostly reflecting Tarot correspondences to the Hebrew letters with some astrological and Thelemic used as well: HB:Aleph : This is a widdershins swastika (nazi shaped) of thin lines with all line elements parallel to the sides of the box. There is a small circle about the central intersection. There are four dots in symmetric array, one in the center of each space defined by an arm of the swastika. Greek letters in capitals appear at the ends of the arms of the swastika, oriented toward the outside. Counterclockwise from lower right: Tau, Alpha, Rho, Omega. (The suggestion is that Aleph is swastika shaped and spins out TARO). HB:Bet : This is a composition of three separate forms. The central one is a vertical wand with a three pointed crown at top. To the right is a simple vesica. To the left is a Shiva-lingam consisting of a round top vertical shaft on a flat base. (Tools of the Magus). HB:Gemel : This sigil cannot be fully described. It is composed of two shield forms in upper right and left with lines depending. The two forms are separate. The shield in upper left is hatched with nearly horizontal lines, descending slightly toward right. This shield has a slightly concave top with extension to the upper left and is completed by two convex sides which join in a downward point below. The line from the left shield issues from the upper right side as a short upward diagonal, curves down in a arch to the left, recurves down to the right with a curve issuing convexly upward toward the lower right base of the shield while the principle line continues as a lesser curve toward to bottom of the box --- giving a "y" shape in the lower part of this line. The shield in upper right is hatched with nearly vertical lines, deviating slightly downward to left. It is defined by three curved sides, a concave at top slightly downward to the right, an elbow curve forming the left and bottom edges at slight angles in parallel and at right angles to the hatching and a curved line to form the right side nearly parallel to the left but extending below the shield. The line associated issues from the left side symmetrically to the line of the other shield, but ends below in horizontal elipsoidal spindle, point to left, below the shield instead of a fork as did the other. (Possibly male and female or female pregnant and barren). HB:Dalet : This sigil is composed of five elements. There are two off vertical lines curving inward from the upper quarters of the box to frame the sides. In the upper center to center is a figure rather like a radish: The bulb has a small line extending below and has inner semicircles touching the right and left parts of the circular bulb, at the inner top of the bulb is a rectangle pierced by a point that flares up to right and left to form a sort of confine for what would be the foliage on the "radish", this last portion contains an array of ten dots forming an inverted tetractys. The remaining two elements are a "T" to the left below of the "raddish" and an isosceles triangle with point up to the right. (Probably vulvicular symbolism). HB:Vau : This figure is a circular ring, right eye of Horus in center, thirteen clockwise hooked flames about the outer rim. In a circular pattern concentric and inside the ring are following characters from top clockwise: V, infinity, V, 3, V, 10, V, 8, V, O. (Plays on unity of V.V.V.V.V. name and other Thelemic elements). HB:Heh : This is a simple upright pentagram formed of solid lines. In the bays formed by the points with each other are the following symbols, clockwise from upper right: Mercury, A, Sulfur, I, Salt. (Out of alphabetic sequence with the preceeding, may be wrong letters. It appears to be an epitome of five with emphasis on alchemical aspects.). HB:Zain : This sigil is composed of four elements. At top center is a crescent with horns upward crossed by a vertical arrow, point down and fledging at top. Beneath this is a lineal upright pentagram with five lines issuing radially out from the intersections of the points. To the left below is a Neter sign like a golf club with head to the left on a vertical shaft, three dots vertically below the head. The last element is to the right, the same as the one just described but the head is to the bottom below the dots and points to the right. (Simple diagram of Lover's Trump). HB:Chet : This sigil is a solid black pentagram of narrow points, one point to top and the intersections of the points have issuing wavy rays on outward radials. (Possibly the idea of contained force associated to Cancer and the Chariot in the Royal Arch). HB:Tet : This sigil is chiefly a large equilateral triangle with point upward, inside it and sharing the same base and axis is a smaller equilateral triangle. Between the upper apexes of the two triangles is a circle with a dot in center (sun symbol). Midway on the excluded space between the sides of the two triangles on left and right are two small shapes that may be flowers. To the left of the larger top apex is a circle dot (sun) and to the right is a Leo symbol. Within the smaller triangle is a pattern of Roman numerals giving the value 666: D C L X V I. (Sun in Leo and 666). HB:Yod : This sigil is a traditional "Aladin's lamp" occupying the bottom half of the box, handle to left and wick spout to right. A single vertical line emerges from the wick hole and terminates in a cross with serifs on its three end points. (Lamp of the Hermit). HB:Koph : This is a circle with one vertical diameter and two others dividing the interior space into six equal parts. Greek capital letters appear at top: Sigma; at lower right, Tau; and at lower left, Rho. (Wheel of Fortune with letters for the three figures). HB:Lamed : This sigil is based upon a scrolled "U" shape. This is slightly more open at the top than normal and has two tight spiral loops outward and down at the line ends. There is a dot below. Immediately above the lower dip and within is a lineal trident (a "Y" with continuation of the vertical. Above this are three horizontal dots. Above the dots is a simple figure of a horizontal line with two verticals down at its ends and a single vertical across its center. This last vertical element terminates above the upper part of the "U" in a feather of Maat with plume to the right. (Scales of Justice). HB:Mem : This sigil is composed of a hollow, double walled, equilateral triangle with a cross issuing from its apex, the cross being terminated on the three open ends by serifs. The upper arm of this cross touches a horizontal line. This horizontal line proceeds to the right, makes a right angle and drops in a vertical to terminate in another serifed cross at the lower right of the box. (Simply a Hanged Man on a gibbet with the inverted Sulfur symbol for the figure). HB:Nun : This sigil has a rectangle below with the letters LVX inside. Above this are the Roman numerals CXX. Above this is an inverted "V" of two straight lines having small circles at the ends of the lines and at the junction. (Possibly refers to the R+C mystery of the tomb of Fr. C.R.). HB:Samekh : This Sigil is composed of two shapes like a rectangle cut in half horizontally and separated vertically. The lower elongate "U" has a vertical rising a short distance from its base, and all three verticals terminate above in three-serif crosses. The portion above is the same inverted except that the vertical continues both above and below the figure, the lower portion ending in an arrow head and the upper in a 3- serif cross. The letters QST appear across the shaft of the arrow. (This is an illusion to Sagittarius and the rainbow paths on the Tree of Life). HB:Ayin : This is a circle with ocular mark at top, pierced from below by a nail. The nail ends in two round bulbs below. There is a Sigma to the left of the base and an Eta to the right. (Possibly a goat in coitus). HB:Peh : Below is a large letter Ayin. Immediately above this is a lineal letter "Y". Above this is a small circle with a short line dependent below, essentially the antique Greek letter Qopa. (Looks like a stick figure about to fall into a Hell-mouth). HB:Tzaddi : The basic figure is a deosil swastika. This is contained by an open box shape formed by four coils at top, bottom and sides. Within the chambers so created are letters and a shape. Clockwise from upper left: The shape is the sword of ten points on the Tree of Life; O; N; B. HB:Qof : The central motif is an inverted "Y" shape of equal angles. Below this is an upright equilateral triangle. Above is a crescent moon with horns pointing right. To either side and near center are two mirrored patterns. The one on the left looks like a Theban "k" with a Nun to its right, all on a slope toward the lower left. The pattern on the right is a mirror reversal. (Possibly a stylized Moon Trump). HB:Resh : The sigil is compound. Above is a six-pointed star, one point up, the points slender and the center formed by a "happy face". Below is a crescent with horns upward. The numbers 6 and 9 are dependent from the lower left and right points of the star. Three vertical dots descend from these on either side to pass just beyond the horns of the crescent. There are two Netteru symbols just inside these columns of dots, the one on the left having its head at top and to the right, the one on the right having its head at bottom to the left, within the hollow of the horns of the crescent. (This is generally modeled on a type of the Sun Trump, with indications of mutual oral intercourse.) HB:Shin : This is a perspective drawing of a four sided pyramid, sides shaded and opening to the lower right as a tiny white rectangle at the base. There is a horizontally transverse rectangular chamber on the lower-left to upper right diagonal visible within the pyramid. (Clearly inspired by the tomb symbolism of the Judgment Trump). HB:Taw : In the elongated box at the bottom of the table is a connected design. To the left is a thick numeral "1", sans-serif. To the right is a thick ring or zero. These are connected across the bottom by a squiggle which forms a vertical loop in center before continuing on. (Possible the 1 and 0 Thelemic motif). The boxes of ...CARCERORUM QLIPHOTH..., mostly reflecting Tarot correspondences to the Hebrew letters with some astrological and Thelemic used as well. Most of these are too irregular in shape to permit exact description: HB:Aleph : This is an open interior form shaped like an "E" made of string with an extension of the common loop to the left below. The thing has hair up the back and part way along the upper arm. There are needle teeth below on the upper arm and above on the middle arm. The general effect is like a grotesque head, virtually all mouth. HB:Bet : This is a complex and decorative device. It is delineated on left and right by two curved swords, they are straight and curve in only at the top, cross hilted with serifs at bottom. There is an "equals" sign immediately below each hilt. Between the points at top is a thin crescent, horns up. A large and flat dish-shaped crescent, points up is at bottom, the lower arc broken by two pairs of very short transverse lines to right and left. There is a dot asymmetrically below the lower crescent to the left (possibly a printing fault). There is a small wiggling crescent shaped line like a smiling mouth above this. Three wavy lines are vertical on and to either side of center. Two dots like eyes complete the sigil between the upper ends of these lines. The whole figure is like a face emerging from smoke out of a bowl and between the two "swords". HB:Gemel : This composite is a face. The eyes are two dots with small curved brows over them from the outside and not passing the center. The nose is a simple crosshilted sword, point to top. There is an oval with ocular ellipse inside at top for the mouth and a thin solid crescent for the chin. The cheeks are set forth by inward curving lines crowned at top by tiny outward tending, tiny curved clefts. HB:Dalet : The basic figure is a vertical and flatly compressed "S" shape to left, a similar twig extending across that and past center at top. Below are three elongate drops with bulb to right forming a lower base with the end of the upright. Dependent on a short line from top is a water triangle with a fern-like stalk of three curls issuing at the top right base and drooping to the right. HB:Heh : Two dot eyes beneath harry eyebrows. A plump "U" shape below that for a nose. A dot below that for a mouth. A beard formed of three crosses, two at cheeks and one at bottom and two squiggles between them. HB:Vau : One vertical line diverging in two angle lines like a "Y" at top. This is crossed by a horizontal line at center and terminates below in a small cross. Just above the termination is a short horizontal line which diverges in two short diagonals ending below in crosses. The upper four line ends have the letter Yod as their terminators. HB:Zain : A vertical forked stick in center, fork small at bottom. A curved arc across the lower quarter, ends down and terminating in linear shapes like earphones with the openings to the right. At an angle over the top of the stick a little below the upper end is a deep, thin, hollow crescent, horns up, the left higher. This crescent terminates on the right in a very small crescent, horns up to right, and is crossed by a short line just a bit below that. The short line ends in diverging thin crescents. HB:Chet : This is a complex doodle. There is a squiggle beginning in the upper left area, forming somewhat of a tail for the head and neck of a camel extending across the center of the box. A simple line curves down from the base of the neck and attaches to the feet of a horizontal face-down human form at bottom. HB:Tet : This is an odd sort of thing rather reminiscent of one or two of the elongate Goetic sigils. It has a harry face like that of a dog at the left, ears with the eyes dots and the nose and mouth represented by a straight line with a button at top. A flat dish on its side issues from this to form the body. There are four feet below represented by upright vesicas in a line, these being connected to the body by curved lines like knees angled to the left. There is a tail in the form of a curved line that issues from the far right end, curves above the body in parallel, makes a tight bend and curves back above that to trail off slightly upward at the very end. HB:Ayin : This is a shape like that of the sigils of the Archangels. It is lineal, starts on the left center in curved line that comes up toward the center above. This bends back and down from a cusp in a tight little curve, then up again in a cusp and a slightly wider down curve, up to a cusp and then straight down for a short distance, small circular loop and curve up to right in another small circular loop. Then horizontal back to the left just through the top edge of the first loop and drooping down to end in a serif cross. HB:Koph : Top center, a circle with horns at top and a cross of vertical and horizontal diameters inside. Below this a radial extends downward for a short distance and then breaks up into three flat "S" curves ended in simple loose crosses. HB:Lamed : Composite figure: Simple Libra type balances to left and above, no support. The lower pan hangs at an angle toward the center. The bar is diagonal in the upper left quarter of the box. The upper pan is blown horizontal. There is a form like a hockey stick angled from the lower left toward the center with the head vertical. A human head tops this, looking to the right. A horizontal line crosses the stick head below the human one, the right end terminating in a circle with a black and sinuous Yod inside. The left takes a angle down and touches the lower balance pan. In the lower right is a sword, angled up toward the serif-cross hilt to the right. HB:Mem : This is a storm cloud with eyes and a sort of mouth. It is very flat and five shapes like icicles hang from it to the left of center. The letters N V H are vertical below the cloud and to the right of the icicle shapes. There is a downward pointed fledged arrow parallel and to the right of the letters. HB:Nun : Left center is an "X" of two crossed sticks with a flower in center. Just above and to the right is the point of a scythe blade, arcing up to above top center and beyond before it curves down in a lineal handle ending below center in a serif-cross hilt. A stylized and crowned corpse to right holds this in right hand (shown as a short of brush). The head is a simplified death head canted to the right. The neck is narrow, The body and left arm look like a plucked chicken with a wishbone for a tail. HB:Samekh : Difficult to describe. The lower center is misshapen cross of Malta ending in a blunt pestle below. A narrow isosceles triangle touches to top of this from above with its point. There is a pair of tiny golf-club shapes at the top base of the triangle, heads turned outward. This complex depends from a line that diverges symmetrically to either side at top. This line is wavy and reaches down on the left to touch the bristle end of a shape like a shaving brush. The line on the right forms a vertical word: SKRL, and continues down and below the bottom in crumpled waves to connect up the to handle of the "brush". HB:Ayin : Odd shapes. There is a figure like an apple with two tiny leaves to left and top. A face is on this with curves for shut eyes and a downward curve for a mouth (nose?). Below this is the letter "B". Issuing to the right from the mouth point is a hollow lineal figure of curved lines, two lobes at top, a letter "K" below that, the lower lobe extended in a shaft toward the left center bottom and a rounded end at the bottom. The letter "R" is to the right, a little below midway of this shaft. The letter "N" is beneath the shaft end. HB:Peh : This is a barten with letters. The top has four crennels, simply, with the letter "D" in air above. The upper walls drop from the end crennels, right angle outward and then drop to the base. The base continues the walls with another small angle outward and a drop to a horizontal line across the bottom and extending slightly beyond each wall. There is a flattened rectangle within this base. An inverted "U" with serifs forms the door above this rectangle, and there is an inverted Latin cross hanging from the top inside that. Two windows complete the structure, inverted "U" shaped with flats cutting off the bottoms and inverted Latin Crosses acting to divide them are situated in the upper section and just past the first outward bends. The upper walls are flanked to left by "N" and to right by "V". The lower walls are flanked to left by "V" and to the right by "S". The base is flanked on the left by "M" and the right by "D". The word "SUE" is beneath the base. HB:Tzaddi : This is one image. The lower part is a face, natural chin and sides smoothly going up until the ears appear as short laps to either side. Above this are two tapering lines, curved from below the ears and ascending in slight convergence to the top half of the image, about twice the height of the face above the chin. At this point there is a structure composed of two semicircles. The arcs are broken by vertical lines with a gap between in the lower part. In the upper part the arcs are interrupted by vertical elipsoid with a smaller horizontal elipsoid at top. The details of the face itself are a natural mouth, a little "U" shaped nose, two dots for eyes, brows meeting in a third arch. HB:Qof : Three black crescents, horns down, are in vertical array in the center. They dwindle from the largest on top to a smaller near the bottom. Below the lowest of these is a vesica on its side. There is a fan of lines extending down from the upper arc of the vesica, creating an image a bit like a shell. To the right of this shell a series of seven crescents arcs upward to the right and comes a bit back toward the center at top. These crescents have horns downward at various angles to accommodate the curve, and the size increases slightly as they rise. A similar curve of crescents proceeds upward and to the left from just beyond the left side of the shell. These are more strongly incurved at top and reach nearly to the upper border of the box. There are twelve in this curve, with the ones near the shell being about half the size of those ending the curve near the upper limit, waxing in overall size as they go up. HB:Resh : There are four elements to the sigil. In the center above is a black disk, the lower edge of it has a slender white crescent. Below this is a small horned circle with a dot in center. A line descends vertically from this small circle. A short horizontal bar crosses this line near the bottom and the ends of this bar drop verticals just short of the termination level of the main vertical line. Neteru are on either side, the one on the left has the head at top left, that on the right has its head at top right. HB:Shin : This is a face melded into an exploded drawing of a rectangular box. The top rectangle has "NON" inside. The next rectangle has small rectangular "ears" to either side and "PAT" inside. The next down rectangle has "EBO" inside. The bottom contiguous rectangle has a set of lips and a lower lip fringe beard. To the left and right of the upper rectangle are two angled dashes for eyes and beyond them two slight curved lines for brows. HB:Taw : This is a strange sigil. From the right: Two large lower case letter "i"'s, sansserf. From near the bottom of the left most is a horizontal squiggle of three vertical loops, then a curve to vertical and another horizontal squiggle of five downward loops, the last loop of this starts an arched squiggle up to the top of the next structure. The next structure is a vertical bar, from the bottom of which a curved squiggle arches right and about, crossing the second horizontal squiggle and reaching back over the left top to the upper end of a second parallel bar. From the bottom of this second bar a squiggle diagonals up about half the height of the bar to the left, continuing as a horizontal squiggle into the underside of the last element in the sigil. This element loops like a simplified drawing of a turtle, head downward and belly toward left. Back spotted in the pattern of Acquisitio and only two legs showing. This last could also be a sheep, such is the simplicity of the drawing.} LIBER CCXXXI (This book is true up to the grade of Adeptus Exemptus. V.V.V.V.V. 8 Degree, 3Square.) 0. A, the heart of IAO, dwelleth in ecstasy in the secret place of the thunders. Between Asar and Asi he abideth in joy. 1. The lightnings increased and the Lord Tahuti stood forth. The Voice came from the Silence. Then the One ran and returned. 2. Now hath Nuit veiled herself, that she may open the gate of her sister. 3. The Virgin of God is enthroned upon an oyster-shell; she is like a pearl, and seeketh Seventy to her Four. In her heart is Hadit the invisible glory. 4. Now riseth Ra-Hoor-Khuit, and dominion is established in the Star of the Flame. 5. Also is the Star of the Flame exalted, bringing benediction to the universe. 6. Here then beneath the winged Eros is youth, delighting in the one and the other. He is Asar between Asi and Nepthi; he cometh forth from the veil. 7. He rideth upon the chariot of eternity; the white and the black are harnessed to his car. Therefore he reflecteth the Fool, and the sevenfold veil is reveiled. {71} 8. Also came forth mother Earth with her lion, even Sekhet, the lady of Asi. 9. Also the Priest veiled himself, lest his glory be profaned, lest his word be lost in the multitude. 10. Now then the Father of all issued as a mighty wheel; the Sphinx, and the dog-headed god, and Typhon, were bound on his circumference. 11. Also the lady Maat with her feather and her sword abode to judge the righteous. For Fate was already established. 12. Then the holy one appeared in the great water of the North; as a golden dawn did he appear, bringing benediction to the fallen universe. 13. Also Asar was hidden in Amennti; and the Lords of Time swept over him with the sickle of death. 14. And a mighty angel appeared as a woman, pouring vials of woe upon the flames, lighting the pure stream with her brand of cursing. And the iniquity was very great. 15. Then the Lord Khem arose, He who is holy among the highest, and set up his crowned staff for to redeem the universe. 16. He smote the towers of wailing; he brake them in pieces in the fire of his anger, so that he alone did escape from the ruin thereof. 17. Transformed, the holy virgin appeared as a fluidic fire, making her beauty into a thunderbolt. 18. By her spells she invoked the Scarab, the Lord Kheph-Ra, so that the waters were cloven and the illusion of the towers was destroyed. {72} 19. Then the sun did appear unclouded, and the mouth of Asi was on the mouth of Asar. 20. Then also the Pyramid was builded so that the Initiation might be complete. 21. And in the heart of the Sphinx danced the Lord Adonai, in His garlands of roses and pearls making glad the concourse of things; yea, making glad the concourse of things. THE GENII OF THE 22 SCALES OF THE SERPENT AND OF THE QLIPHOTH Aleph Aa'au-iao-ua'aa [a'a=Ayin ] . . . . :Amprodias Bet Bea'a-theta-aoooabitom . . . . :Baratchial Gemel Git-omega-nosap-phi-omeg-allois . . . :Gargophias Dalet D-etanastartar-omega-theta . . . . :Dagdagiel Heh Hoo-oor-omega-ist . . . . . :Hemethterith Vau Vuaretza --- [a secret name follows] . . :Uriens Zain Zoo-omega-asar . . . . . . :Zamradiel Chet Chiva-abrahadabra-cadaxviii . . . . :Characith Tet Theta-ala'aster-a-dekerval . . . . :Temphioth Yod Iehuvahastana'a-theta-atan . . . . :Yamatu Koph Kerugunaviel . . . . . . :Kurgasiax Lamed Lusanaherandraton . . . . . :Lafcursiax Mem Malai . . . . . . . :Malkunofat Nun Nadimraphoroiza'a-theta-alai . . . :Niantiel Samekh Sala-theta-lala-amrodna-theta-a'aist . . :Saksaksalim Ayin Oaoaaaoooa'a-ist . . . . . :A'ano'nin Peh Pura-theta-metai-ap-eta-metai . . . :Parfaxitas Tzaddi Xan-theta-asteransh-koppa-ist [sh koppa = sh, q] . :Tzuflifu Qof Qani-Delta-nayx-ipamai . . . . :Qulielfi Resh Ra-a-gioselahladnaimawa-ist . . . . :Raflifu Shin Shabnax-odobor . . . . . :Shalicu Taw Thath'th'thitha'athuth-thist. . . . :Thantifaxath {73} NOTE BY H. FRA. P. 4 Degree = 7Square (1899) ON THE R.O.T.A. BY THE QABALAH OF NINE CHAMBERS Units are divine --- The upright Triangle. Tens reflected --- The averse Triangle. Hundreds equilibrated --- The Hexagram their combination. 1. "Light." ---[Here can be no evil.] Aleph The hidden light---the "wisdom of God foolishness with men. Yod The Adept bearing Light. Qof The Light in darkness and illusion. [Khephra about to rise.] 2. "Action." --- Bet Active and Passive --- dual current, etc. --- the Alternating Forces in Harmony. Koph The Contending Forces --- fluctuation of earth-life. Resh The Twins embracing --- eventual glory of harmonised life under Sun. 3. "The Way." --- [Here also no evil.] Gemel The Higher Self. Lamed The severe discipline of the Path. Shin The judgment and resurrection [0 Degree=0Square and 5 Degree=6Square rituals.] 4. "Life." --- Dalet The Mother of god. Aima. Mem The Son Slain. Taw The Bride. 5. "Force" (Purification). --- Heh The Supernal Sulphur purifying by fire. Nun The Infernal Water Scorpio purifying by putrefaction. This work is not complete; therefore is there no equilibration. 6. "Harmony." --- Vau The Reconciler [Vau of Yod-Heh-Vau-Heh] above. Samekh The Reconciler below [lion and eagle, etc.]. This work also unfinished. 7. "Birth." --- Zain The Powers of Spiritual Regeneration. [The Z.A.M. as Osiris risen between Isis and Nephthys. The path of Gemel, Diana, above his head.] Ayin The gross powers of generation. 8. "Rule." --- Chet The Orderly Ruling of diverse forces. Peh The Ruin of the Unbalanced Forces. 9. "Stability." --- Tet The Force that represses evil. Tzaddi The Force that restores the world ruined by evil. {74} LIBER TAV VEL KABBALAE TRIVM LITERARUM SVB FIGVRA CD {75} A.'. A.'. Publication in Class A. Imprimatur: N. Fra A.'. A.'. {Illustration on the facing page partly represented and partly described: "LIBER [KABBALAE TRIUM LITERARUM.] Taw SVB FIGVRA CD" In the top quarter of the page is an elongated Hebrew letter Taw, and within this letter are all the other Hebrew letters except Taw, arranged in three rows and seven columns. These Hebrew letters proceed from right to left thusly: 1st row: ZAIN VAU HEH DALET GIMEL BET ALEPH 2nd row: NUN MEM LAMED KAPH YOD TET CHET 3rd row: SHIN RESH QOF TZADDI PE AYIN SAMEKH The text given below is presented vertically below each of the seven columns, beginning on the right. The text is bordered on right and left by lotus crowned wands. "The Magister Templi, the Adeptus, the Neophyte [8 Degree=3Square, 5 Degree=6Square, 0 Degree=0Square] "The Ultimate Illusion, the Illusion of Force, the Illusion of Matter. "The Functions of the 3 Orders: Silence in Speech; Silence; Speech in Silence: Construction, Preservation, Destruction. "The Supreme Unveiling (or Unveiling of Light), the Unveiling of Life, the Unveiling of Love. "Equilibrium; on the Cubic Stone, on the Path, and among the Shells. "The Rituals of Initiation, 8 Degree=3Square, 5 Degree=6Square, 0 Degree= 0Square: Asar, as Bull, as Man, as Sun. "The Ordeals of Initiation, 8 Degree=3Square, 5 Degree=6Square, 0 Degree= 0Square: Birth, Death, Resurrection."} [This analysis may be checked by adding the columns vertically, 69, 81, 93, 114, 135, 246, 357. Dividing by 3 we get 23, 27, 31, 38, 45, 82, 119, which in the Sepher Sephiroth mean respectively Life, Purity, Negation, "38x11=418," Innocent, Formation, Prayer, Weeping. The analogies are obvious.] LIBER OS ABYSMI VEL DAATH SVB FIGVRA CDLXXIV {77} A.'. A.'. Publication in Class B. Imprimatur: N. Fra A.'. A.'. LIBER OS ABYSMI VEL DAATH SVB FIGVRA CDLXXIV 1. This book is the Gate of the Secret of the Universe. 2. Let the Exempt Adept procure the Prolegomena of Kant, and study it, paying special attention to the Antinomies. 3. Also Hume's doctrine of Causality in his "Enquiry." 4. Also Herbert Spencer's discussion of the three theories of the Universe in his "First Principles," Part I. 5. Also Huxley's Essays on Hume and Berkeley. 6. Also Crowley's Essays: Berashith, Time, The Soldier and the Hunchback, et cetera. 7. Also the "Logik" of Hegel. 8. Also the "Questions of King Milinda" and the Buddhist Suttas which bear on Metaphysics. 9. Let him also be accomplished in Logic. (Formal Logic, Keynes.) Further let him study any classical works to which his attention may be sufficiently directed in the course of his reading. 10. Now let him consider special problems, such as the Origin of the World, the Origin of Evil, Infinity, the Absolute, the Ego and the non-Ego, Freewill and Destiny, and such others as may attract him. {79} 11. Let him subtly and exactly demonstrate the fallacies of every known solution, and let him seek a true solution by his right Ingenium. 12. In all this let him be guided only by clear reason, and let him forcibly suppress all other qualities such as Intuition, Aspiration, Emotion, and the like. 13. During these practices all forms of Magick Art and Meditation are forbidden to him. It is forbidden to hi to seek any refuge from his intellect. 14. Let then his reason hurl itself again and again against the blank wall of mystery which will confront him. 15. Thus also following is it said, and we deny it not. At last automatically his reason will take up the practice, sua sponte, and he shall have no rest therefrom. 16. Then will all phenomena which present themselves to him appear meaningless and disconnected, and his own Ego will break up into a series of impressions having no relation one with the other, or with any other thing. 17. Let this state then become so acute that it is in truth Insanity, and let this continue until exhaustion. 18. According to a certain deeper tendency of the individual will be the duration of this state. 19. It may end in real insanity, which concludes the activities of the Adept during this present life, or by his rebirth into his own body and mind with the simplicity of a little child. 20. And then shall he find all his faculties unimpaired, yet cleansed in a manner ineffable. 21. And he shall recall the simplicity of the Task of the Adeptus Minor, and apply himself thereto with fresh energy in a more direct manner. {80} 22. And in his great weakness it may be that for awhile the new Will and Aspiration are not puissant, yet being undisturbed by those dead weeds of doubt and reason which he hath uprooted, they grow imperceptibly and easily like a flower. 23. And with the reappearance of the Holy Guardian Angel he may be granted the highest attainments, and be truly fitted for the full experience of the destruction of the Universe. And by the Universe We mean not that petty Universe which the mind of man can conceive, but that which is revealed to his soul in the Samadhi of Atmadarshana. 24. Thence may he enter into a real communion with those that are beyond, and he shall be competent to receive communication and instruction from Ourselves directly. 25. Thus shall We prepare him for the confrontation of Choronzon and the Ordeal of the Abyss, when we have received him into the City of the Pyramids. 26. So, being of Us, let the Master of the Temple accomplish that Work which is appointed. (In Liber CDXVIII. is an adequate account of this Ordeal and Reception. See also Liber CLVI. for the preparation.) 27. Also concerning the Reward thereof, of his entering into the Palace of the King's Daughter, and of that which shall thereafter befall, let it be understood of the Master of the Temple. Hath he not attained to Understanding? Yea, verily, hath he not attained to Understanding? {81} LIBER H A D SVB FIGVRA DLV {83} A.'. A.'. Publication in Class D (for Winners of the Ordeal X.) Imprimatur: {three flags/axes meaning "Neteru"}... V.V.V.V.V. ... N. Fra A.'. A.'. O.M. 7 Degree = 4Square. LIBER H A D SVB FIGVRA DLV 000. This is the Book of the Cult of the Infinite Within. 00. The Aspirant is Nuit. Nuit is the infinite expansion of the Rose; Hadit the infinite concentration of the Rood. ("Instruction of V.V.V.V.V.") 0. First let the Aspirant learn in his heart the Second Chapter of the Book of the Law. ("Instruction of V.V.V.V.V.") 1. Worship, "i.e." identify thyself with, Nuit, as a lambent flame of blue, all-touching, all-penetrant, her lovely hands upon the black earth, and her lithe body arched for love, and her soft feet not hurting the little flowers, even as She is imaged in the Stele of Revealing. "This is the first practice of Meditation "("ccxx. I." 26). 2. Let him further identify himself with the heart of Nuit, whose ecstasy is in that of her children, and her joy to see their joy, who sayeth: I love you! I yearn to you. Pale or purple, veiled or voluptuous, I who am all pleasure and purple, and drunkenness of the innermost sense, desire you. Put on the wings, and arose the coiled splendour within you: come unto me! ... Sing the rapturous love-song unto me! Burn to me perfumes! Wear to me jewels! Drink to me, for I love you! I love you! I am the blue-lidded daughter of {85} Sunset; I am the naked brilliance of the voluptuous night-sky. To me! To me! "This is the second practice of Meditation "("ccxx. I." 13, 61, 63, 64, 65). 3. Let the Aspirant apply himself to comprehend Hadit as an unextended point clothed with Light ineffable. And let him beware lest he be dazzled by that Light. "This is the first practice of Intelligence "("ccxx. II." 2). 4. Let the Aspirant apply himself to comprehend Hadit as the ubiquitous centre of every sphere conceivable. "This is the second practice of Intelligence "("ccxx. I." 2). 5. Let the Aspirant apply himself to comprehend Hadit as the soul of every man, and of every star, conjoining this in his Understanding with the Word ("cxx. I." 2). "Every man and every woman is a star." Let this conception be that of Life, the giver of Life, and let him perceive that therefore the knowledge of Hadit is the knowledge of death. "This is the third practice of Intelligence "("ccxx. II." 6). 6. Let the Aspirant apply himself to comprehend Hadit as the Magician or maker of Illusion, and the Exorcist or destroyer of Illusion, under the figure of the axle of the Wheel, and the cube in the circle. Also as the Universal Soul of Motion. (This conception harmonises Thoth and Harpocrates in a very complete and miraculous manner. Thoth is both the Magus of Taro (see Lib. 418) and the Universal Mercury; Harpocrates both the destroyer of Typhon and the Babe on the Lotus. Note that the "Ibis position" formulates this conception most exactly. ED.) "This is the fourth practice of Intelligence "("ccxx. II." 7). {86} 7. Let the Aspirant apply himself to comprehend Hadit as the perfect, that is Not, and solve the mystery of the numbers of Hadit and his components by his right Ingenium. "This is the fifth practice of Intelligence "("ccxx. II." 15, 16). 8. Let the Aspirant, bearing him as a great King, root out and destroy without pity all things in himself and his surroundings which are weak, dirty, or diseased, or otherwise unworthy. And let him be exceeding proud and joyous. "This is the first practice of Ethics "("ccxx. II." 18, 19, 20, 21). 9. Let the Aspirant apply himself to comprehend Hadit as the Snake that giveth Knowledge and Delight and bright glory, who stirreth the hearts of men with drunkenness. This snake is blue and gold; its eyes are red, and its spangles green and ultra-violet. (That is, as the most exalted form of the Serpent Kundalini.) "This is the sixth practice of Intelligence "("ccxx. II." 22, 50, 51). 10. Let him further identify himself with this Snake. "This is the second practice of Meditation "("ccxx. II." 22). 11. Let the Aspirant take wine and strange drugs, according to his knowledge and experience, and be drunk thereof. (The Aspirant should be in so sensitive a condition that a single drop, perhaps even the smell, should suffice. ED.) "This is the first practice of Magick Art "("ccxx. II." 22). 12. Let the Aspirant concentrate his consciousness in the Rood Cross set up upon the Mountain, and identify himself with It. Let him be well aware of the difference between Its {87} own soul, and that thought which it habitually awakes in his own mind. "This is the third practice of Meditation, and as it will be found, a comprehension and harmony and absorption of the practices of Intelligence "("ccxx, II." 22). 13. Let the Aspirant apply himself to comprehend Hadit as the Unity which is the Negative. (Ain Elohim. ED.) "This is the seventh practice of Intelligence "("ccxx. II." 23). 14. Let the Aspirant live the life of a strong and beautiful being, proud and exalted, contemptuous of and fierce toward all that is base and vile. "This is the second practice of Ethics "("ccxx. II." 24, 25, 45-49, 52, 56- 60). 15. Let the Aspirant apply himself to comprehend Hadit according to this 26th verse of the Second Chapter of the Book of the Law. And this shall be easy for him if he have well accomplished the Third Practice of Meditation. "This is the eighth practice of Intelligence" ("ccxx, II. "26). 16. Let the Aspirant destroy Reason in himself according to the practice in Liber CDLXXIV. "This is the fourth practice of Meditation "("ccxx. II." 27-33). 17. Let the Aspirant observe duly the Feasts appointed by the A.'. A.'. and perform such rituals of the elements as he possesseth, invoking them duly in their season. "This is the second practice of Magick Art" ("ccxx. II." 35-43). 18. Let the Aspirant apply himself to comprehend Hadit as a babe in the egg of the Spirit (Akasha. ED.) that is invisible within the 4 elements. "This is the ninth practice of Intelligence" ("ccxx. II." 49). {88} 19. The Aspirant seated in his Asana will suddenly commence to breathe strangely, and this without the Operation of his will; the Inspiration will be associated with the thought of intense excitement and pleasure, even to exhaustion; and the Expiration very rapid and forceful, as if this excitement were suddenly released. "This is the first and last Indication of the Sign of the Beginning of this Result "("ccxx. II." 63). 20. A light will appear to the Aspirant, unexpectedly. Hadit will arise within him, and Nuit concentrate Herself upon him from without. He will be overcome, and the Conjunction of the Infinite Without with the Infinite Within will take place in his soul, and the One be resolved into the None. "This is the first Indication of the Nature of the Result "("ccxx. II." 61, 62, 64). 21. Let the Aspirant strengthen his body by all means in his power, and let him with equal pace refine all that is in him to the true ideal of Royalty. Yet let his formula, as a King's ought, be Excess. "This is the third practice of Ethics "("ccxx. II." 70, 71). 22. To the Aspirant who succeeds in this practice the result goes on increasing until its climax in his physical death in its due season. This practice should, however, prolong life. "This is the second Indication of the Nature of the Result "("ccxx. II." 66, 72-74). 23. Let the Adept aspire to the practice of Liber XI. and preach to mankind. "This is the fourth Practice of Ethics "("ccxx. II." 76). {89} 24. Let the Adept worship the Name, foursquare, mystic, wonderful, of the Beast, and the name of His house; and give blessing and worship to the prophet of the lovely Star. "This is the fifth practice of Ethics" ("ccxx. II." 78, 79). 25. Let the Aspirant expand his consciousness to that of Nuit, and bring it rushing inward. It may be practised by imagining that the Heavens are falling, and then transferring the consciousness to them. "This is the fifth practice of Meditation. (Instruction of V.V.V.V.V.)" 26. Summary. Preliminaries. These are the necessary possessions. 1. Wine and strange drugs. 27. Summary continued. Preliminaries. These are the necessary comprehensions. 1. The nature of Hadit (and of Nuit, and the relations between them.) 28. Summary continued. Preliminaries. These are the meditations necessary to be accomplished. 1. Identification with Nuit, body and spirit. 2. Identification with Hadit as the Snake. 3. Identification with Hadit as the Rood Cross. 4. Destruction of Reason. 5. The falling of the Heavens. 29. Summary continued. Preliminaries. These are the Ethical Practices to be accomplished. 1. The destruction of all unworthiness in one's self and one's surroundings. 2. Fulness, almost violence, of life. {90} 30. Summary continued. Preliminaries. These are the Magick Arts to be practised. 1. During the preparation, perform the Invocations of the Elements. 2. Observe the Feasts appointed by the A.'. A.'. 31. Summary continued. The actual Practice. 1. Procure the suitable intoxication. 2. As Nuit, contract thyself with infinite force upon Hadit. 32. Summary continued. The Results. 1. Peculiar automatic breathing begins. 2. A light appears. 3. Samadhi of the two Infinites within aspirant. 4. Intensification of 3 on repetition. 5. Prolongation of life. 6. Death becomes the climax of the practice. 33. Summary concluded. These are the practices to be performed in token of Thanksgiving for success. 1. Aspiration to Liber XI. 2. Preaching of Theta-epsilon-lambda-eta-mu-alpha to mankind. 3. Blessing and Worship to the prophet of the lovely Star. {91} LIBER TAV SVB FIGVRA DCCCXXXI {93} A.'. A.'. Publication in Class B. Imprimatur: N. Fra A.'. A.'. LIBER TAV SVB FIGVRA DCCCXXXI (This book was formerly called Vesta. It is referred to the path of Virgo and the letter Yod.) I. 1. This is the Book of drawing all to a point. 2. Herein are described three methods whereby the consciousness of the Many may be melted to that of the One. II. FIRST METHOD 0. Let a magical circle be constructed, and within it an upright Tau drawn upon the ground. Let this Tau be devided into 10 squares (See Liber CMLXIII., Illustration 1). 1. Let the Magician be armed with the Sword of Art. <> 2. Let him wear the black robe of a Neophyte. 3. Let a single small flame of camphor burn at the top of the Tau, and let there be no other light or ornament. <> 4. Let him "open" the Temple as in DCLXXI., or in any other convenient manner. {95} 5. Standing at the appropriate quarters, at the edge of the circle, let him banish the 5 elements by the appropriate rituals. 6. Standing at the edge of the circle, let him banish the 7 planets by the appropriate rituals. Let him face the actual position of each planet in the heavens at the time of his working. 7. Let him further banish the twelve signs of the Zodiac by the appropriate rituals, facing each sign in turn. 8. Let him at each of these 24 banishings make three circuits widdershins, with the signs of Horus and Harpocrates in the East as he passes it. 9. Let him advance to the square of Malkuth in the Tau, and perform a ritual of banishing Malkuth. But here let him not leave the square to circumambulate the circle, but use the formula and God-form of Harpocrates. 10. Let him advance in turn to the squares Jesod, Hod, Netzach, Tiphereth, Geburah, Chesed, and banish each by appropriate rituals. 11. And let him know that such rituals include the pronunciation of the appropriate names of God backwards, and also a curse against the Sephira in respect of all that which it is, for that it is that which distinguishes and separates it from Kether. 12. Advancing to the squares of Binah and Chokmah in turn, let him banish these also. And for that by now an awe and trembling shall have taken hold upon him, let him banish these by a supreme ritual of inestimable puissance. And let him beware exceedingly lest his will falter, or his courage fail. 13. Finally, let him, advancing to the square of Kether, {96} banish that also by what means he may. At the end whereof let him set his foot upon the light, extinguishing it; <> and, as he falleth, let him fall within the circle. SECOND METHOD 1. Let the Hermit be seated in his Asana, robed, and let him meditate in turn upon every several part of his body until that part is so unreal to him that he no longer includes it in his comprehension of himself. For example, if it be his right foot, let him touch that foot, and be alarmed, thinking, "A foot! What is this foot? Surely I am not alone in the Hermitage!" And this practice should be carried out not only at the time of meditation, but during the day's work. 2. This meditation is to be assisted by reasoning; as "This foot is not I. If I should lose my foot, I should still be I. This foot is a mass of changing and decaying flesh, bone, skin, blood, lymph, etc., while I am the Unchanging and Immortal Spirit, uniform, not made, unbegotten, formless, self-luminous," etc. 3. This practice being perfect for each part of the body, let him combine his workings until the whole body is thus understood as the non-Ego and as illusion. 4. Let then the Hermit, seated in his Asana, meditate upon the Muladhara cakkra and its correspondence as a power of the mind, and destroy it in the same manner as aforesaid. Also by reasoning: "This emotion (memory, imagination, intellect, will, as it may be) is not I. This emotion is {97} transient: I am immovable. This emotion is passion; I am peace." And so on. Let the other Cakkrams in their turn be thus destroyed, each one with its mental or moral attribute. 5. In this let him be aided by his own psychological analysis, so that no part of his conscious being be thus left undestroyed. And on his thoroughness in this matter may turn his success. 6. Lastly, having drawn all his being into the highest Sahasrara Cakkra, let him remain eternally fixed in meditation thereupon. 7. Aum. THIRD METHOD. 1. Let the Hermit stimulate each of the senses in turn, concentrating upon each until it ceases to stimulate. [The senses of sight and touch are extremely difficult to conquer. In the end the Hermit must be utterly unable by any effort to see or feel the object of those senses. O.M.] 2. This being perfected, let him combine them two at a time. For example, let him chew ginger (taste and touch), and watch a waterfall (sight and hearing), and watch incense (sight and smell), and crunch sugar in his teeth (taste and hearing), and so on. 3. These twenty-five practices being accomplished, let him combine them three at a time, then four at a time. 4. Lastly, let him combine all the senses in a single object. And herein may a sixth sense be included. He is then to withdraw himself entirely from all the stimulations, perinde ac cadaver, in spite of his own efforts to attach himself to them. 5. By this method it is said that the demons of the Ruach, {98} that is, thoughts and memories, are inhibited, and We deny it not. But if so be that they arise, let him build a wall between himself and them according to the method. 6. Thus having stilled the voices of the Six, may he sense the subtlety of the Seventh. 7. Aum. [We add the following, contributed by a friend at that time without the A.'. A.'. and its dependent orders. He worked out the method himself, and we think it may prove useful to many. O.M.] (1) The beginner must first practise breathing regularly through the nose, at the same time trying hard to believe that the breath goes to the Ajna and not to the lungs. The prana yama exercises described in the EQUINOX, Vol. I, No. 4, p. 101, must next be practised, always with the idea that Ajna is breathing. Try to realise that "power," not air, is being drawn into the Ajna, is being concentrated there during Kumbhaka, and is vivifying the Ajna during expiration. Try rather to increase the force of concentration in Ajna than to increase so excessively the length of Kumbhaka, as this is dangerous if rashly undertaken. (2) Walk slowly in a quiet place; realise that the legs are moving, and study their movements. Understand thoroughly that these movements are due to nerve messages sent down from the brain, and that the controlling power lies in the Ajna. The legs are automatic, like those of a wooden monkey: the power in Ajna is that which does the work, is that which walks. This is not hard to realise, and should be grasped firmly, ignoring all other walking sensations. Apply this method to every other muscular movement. {99} (3) Lie flat on the back with the feet under a heavy piece of furniture. Keeping the spine straight and the arms in a line with the body, rise slowly to a sitting posture, by means of the force residing in the Ajna ("i.e." try to prevent the mind dwelling on any other exertion or sensation.) Then let the body slowly down to its original position. Repeat this two or three times every night and morning, and slowly increase the number of repetitions. (4) Try to transfer all bodily sensations to the Ajna: "e.g." "I am cold" should mean "I feel cold," or, better still, "I am aware of a sensation of cold" --- transfer this to the Ajna, "The Ajna is aware," etc. (5) Pain if very slight may easily be transferred to the Ajna after a little practice. The best method for beginner is to "imagine" he has a pain in the body and then imagine that it passes directly into the Ajna. It does not pass through the intervening structures, but goes direct. After continual practice even severe pain may be transferred to the Ajna. (6) Fix the mind on the base of the spine and then gradually move the thoughts upwards to the Ajna. (In this meditation Ajna is the Holy of Holies, but it is dark and empty.) Finally, strive hard to drive anger and other obsessing thoughts into the Ajna. Try to develop a tendency to think hard of Ajna when these thoughts attack the mind, and let Ajna conquer them. Beware of thinking of "my Ajna." In these meditations and practices, Ajna does not belong to you; Ajna is the master and worker, you are the wooden monkey. {100} LIBER VIARVM VIAE SVB FIGVRA DCCCLXVIII {101} A.'. A.'. Publication in Class B. Imprimatur: N. Fra A.'. A.'. LIBER VIARVM VIAE SVB FIGVRA DCCCLXVIII {WEH NOTE: In the following, some text is vertical. These sections of text will be presented by curly bracket enclosures.} For numbers 21-13, to the left bracket, descending: "Nine locks of the Inferior Beard." To the right bracket, ascending: "Nine paths below Adeptus."} .21.. HB:Taw The Formulation of the Body of Light. Liber O. :20.: HB:Shin The Passage of the King's Chamber. Liber H H H. :19.: HB:Resh The Illumination of the Sphere. Liber H H H. :18.: HB:Qof The Divining of Destiny. Liber Memoriae Viae CMXIII. :17.: HB:Tzaddi The Adoration under the Starry Heaven. Liber XI., NV : : (from Liber CCXX.). :16.: HB:Peh The Destruction of the House of God. Liber XVI. :15.: HB:Ayin The Sabbath of the Adepts. Liber CCCLXX. :14.: HB:Samekh Skrying in the Spirit Vision: The Ladder of Jacob. : : Liber O. .13.. HB:Nun The Preparation of the Corpse for the Tomb. Liber XXV. {For numbers 12-0, to the left bracket, descending: "Thirteen locks of the Superior Beard." For numbers 12-6, to the right bracket, ascending: "Seven paths below M. T." For numbers 5-3, to the right bracket, ascending: "Three below M." For numbers 2-0, to the right bracket, ascending: "Three below I."} .12.. HB:Mem The Sleep of Siloam. Liber CDLI. : 8.: HB:Tet The Protection of the Sphere. Liber O. :10.: HB:Koph The Evocation of the Mighty Ones. Liber {sic, no further ID} : 9.: HB:Yod The Absorbion of the Emanations. Liber DCCCXI. :11.: HB:Lamed The Passing of the Hall of the Balances. Liber XXX. : 7.: HB:Chet The Ritual of the Holy Graal. Liber CLVI. : 6.. HB:Zain The Utterance of the Pythoness. Liber MCXXXIX. : : 5.. HB:Vau The Forthcoming of the Hierophant. Liber VIII. (8th AEthyr : : in Liber 418). : 4.: HB:Heh The Formulation of the Flaming Star. Liber V. : 3.: HB:Dalet The Incarnation of the Inmost Light. Liber DLV Had (from : . Liber CCXX.). : : 2.. HB:Gemel The Supreme Ecstasy of Purity. Liber LXXIII. : 1.: HB:Bet The Universal Affirmations and Denials. Liber B (I.). . 0.. HB:Aleph The transcending of all these; yea, the transcending of all these. Seven Inferiors: Seven Superiors: Seven above All: and Seven Interpretations of every Word. {103} LIBER Taw-Yod-Shin-Aleph-Resh-Bet (ThIShARB) VIAE MEMORIAE SVB FIGVRA CMXIII {105} A.'. A.'. Publication in Class B. Imprimatur: N. Fra A.'. A.'. LIBER Taw-Yod-Shin-Aleph-Resh-Bet VIAE MEMORIAE SVB FIGVRA CMXIII 000. May be. [00. It has not been possible to construct this book on a basis of pure Scepticism. This matters less, as the practice leads to Scepticism, and it may be through it.] 0. This book is not intended to lead to the supreme attainment. On the contrary, its results define the separate being of the Exempt Adept from the rest of the Universe, and discover his relation to that Universe. 1. It is of such importance to the Exempt Adept that We cannot overrate it. Let him in no wise adventure the plunge into the Abyss until he have accomplished this to his most perfectest satisfaction. 2. For in the Abyss no effort is anywise possible. The Abyss is passed by virtue of the mass of the Adept and his Karma. Two forces impel him: (1) the attraction of Binah, (2) the impulse of his Karma; and the ease and even the safety of his passage depend on the strength and direction of the latter. 3. Should one rashly dare the passage, and take the irrevocable Oath of the Abyss, he might be lost therein through AEons of incalculable agony; he might even be {107} thrown back upon Chesed, with the terrible Karma of failure added to his original imperfection. 4. It is even said that in certain circumstances it is possible to fall altogether from the Tree of Life, and to attain the Towers of the Black Brothers. But We hold that this is not possible for any adept who has truly attained his grade, or even for any man who has really sought to help humanity even for a single second, <> and that although his aspiration have been impure through vanity or any similar imperfection. 5. Let then the Adept who finds the result of these meditations unsatisfactory refuse the Oath of the Abyss, and live so that his Karma gains strength and direction suitable to the task at some future period. 6. Memory is essential to the individual consciousness; otherwise the mind were but a blank sheet on which shadows are cast. But we see that not only does the mind retain impressions, but that it is so constituted that its tendency is to retain some more excellently than others. Thus the great classical scholar, Sir Richard Jebb, was unable to learn even the schoolboy mathematics required for the preliminary examination at Cambridge University, and a special act of the authorities was required in order to admit him. <> 7. The first method to be described has been detailed in Bhikkhu Ananda Metteya's "Training of the Mind" (EQUINOX, I. 5, pp. 28-59, and especially pp. 48-56). We have little to alter or to add. Its most important result, as regards the Oath of the Abyss, is the freedom from all desire or clinging to anything which it gives. Its second result is to {108} aid the adept in the second method, by supplying him with further data for his investigation. 8. The stimulation of memory useful in both practices is also achieved by simple meditation (Liber E), in a certain stage of which old memories arise unbidden. The adept may then practise this, stopping at that stage, and encouraging instead of suppressing the flashes of memory. 9. Zoroaster has said, "Explore the River of the Soul, whence or in what order you have come; so that although you have become a servant to the body, you may again rise to that Order (the A.'. A.'.) from which you descended, joining Works (Kamma) to the Sacred Reason (the Tao)." 10. The Result of the Second Method is to show the Adept to what end his powers are destined. When he has passed the Abyss and become NEMO, the return of the current causes him "to appear in the Heaven of Jupiter as a morning star or as an evening star." <> In other words, he should discover what may be the nature of his work. Thus Mohammed was a Brother reflected into Netzach, Buddha a Brother reflected into Hod, or, as some say, Daath. The present manifestation of Frater P. to the outer is in Tiphereth, to the inner in the path of Leo. 11. First Method. Let the Exempt Adept first train himself to think backwards by external means, as set forth here following. ("a") Let him learn to write backwards, with either hand. ("b") Let him learn to walk backwards. {109} ("c") Let him constantly watch, if convenient, cinematograph films, and listen to phonograph records, reversed, and let him so accustom himself to these that they appear natural, and appreciable as a whole. ("d") Let him practise speaking backwards; thus for "I am He" let him say, "Eh ma I". ("e") Let him learn to read backwards. In this it is difficult to avoid cheating one's self, as an expert reader sees a sentence at a glance. Let his disciple read aloud to him backwards, slowly at first, then more quickly. ("f") Of his own ingenium, let him devise other methods. 12. In this his brain will at first be overwhelmed by a sense of utter confusion; secondly, it will endeavour to evade the difficulty by a trick. The brain will pretend to be working backwards when it is really normal. It is difficult to describe the nature of the trick, but it will be quite obvious to anyone who has done practices ("a") and ("b") for a day or two. They become quite easy, and he will think that he is making progress, an illusion which close analysis will dispel. 13. Having begun to train his brain in this manner, and obtained some little success, let the Exempt Adept, seated in his Asana, think first of his present attitude, next of the act of being seated, next of his entering the room, next of his robing, et cetera, exactly as it happened. And let him most strenuously endeavour to think each act as happening backwards. It is not enough to think: "I am seated here, and before that I was standing, and before that I entered the room," etc. That series is the trick detected in the preliminary practices. {110} The series must not run "ghi-def-abc" but "ihgfedcba": not "horse a is this" but "esroh a si siht". To obtain this thoroughly well, practice ("c") is very useful. The brain will be found to struggle constantly to right itself, soon accustoming itself to accept "esroh" as merely another glyph for "horse." This tendency must be constantly combated. 14. In the early stages of this practice the endeavour should be to meticulous minuteness of detail in remembering actions; for the brain's habit of thinking forwards will at first be insuperable. Thinking of large and complex actions, then, will give a series which we may symbolically write "opqrstu-hijklmn-abcdefg." If these be split into detail, we shall have "stu-pqr-o---mn-kl-hij---fg-cde-ab," which is much nearer to the ideal "utsrqponmlkjihgfedcba." 15. Capacities differ widely, but the Exempt Adept need have no reason to be discouraged if after a month's continuous labour he find that now and again for a few seconds his brain really works backwards. 16. The Exempt Adept should concentrate his efforts upon obtaining a perfect picture of five minutes backwards rather than upon extending the time covered by his meditation. For this preliminary training of the brain is the Pons Asinorum of the whole process. 17. This five minutes' exercise being satisfactory, the Exempt Adept may extend the same at his discretion to cover an hour, a day, a week, and so on. Difficulties vanish before him as he advances; the extension from a day to the course of his whole life will not prove so difficult as the perfecting of the five minutes. 18. This practice should be repeated at least four times {111} daily, and progress is shown firstly by the ever easier running of the brain, secondly by the added memories which arise. 19. It is useful to reflect during this practice, which in time becomes almost mechanical, upon the way in which effects spring from causes. This aids the mind to link its memories, and prepares the adept for the preliminary practice of the Second Method. 20. Having allowed the mind to return for some hundred times to the hour of birth, it should be encouraged to endeavour to penetrate beyond that period. If it be properly trained to run backwards, there will be little difficulty in doing this, although it is one of the distinct steps in the practice. 21. It may be then that the memory will persuade the adept of some previous existence. Where this is possible, let it be checked by an appeal to facts, as follows: 22. It often occurs to men that on visiting a place to which they have never been, it appears familiar. This may arise from a confusion of thought or a slipping of the memory, but it is conceivably a fact. If, then, the adept "remember" that he was in a previous life in some city, say Cracow, which he has in this life never visited, let him describe from memory the appearance of Cracow, and of its inhabitants, setting down their names. Let him further enter into details of the city and its customs. And having done this with great minuteness, let him confirm the same by consultation with historians and geographers, or by a personal visit, remembering (both to the credit of his memory and its discredit) at historians, geographers, and himself are alike fallible. But let him not trust his memory {112} to assert its conclusions as fact, and act thereupon, without most adequate confirmation. 23. This process of checking his memory should be practised with the earlier memories of childhood and youth by reference to the memories and records of others, always reflecting upon the fallibility even of such safeguards. 24. All this being perfected, so that the memory reaches back into aeons incalculably distant, let the Exempt Adept meditate upon the fruitlessness of all those years, and upon the fruit thereof, severing that which is transitory and worthless from that which is eternal. And it may be that he being but an Exempt Adept may hold all to be savourless and full of sorrow. 25. This being so, without reluctance will he swear the Oath of the Abyss. 26. Second Method. Let the Exempt Adept, fortified by the practice of the First Method, enter the preliminary practice of the Second Method. 27. Second Method. Preliminary Practices. Let him, seated in his Asana, consider any event, and trace it to its immediate causes. And let this be done very fully and minutely. Here, for example, is a body erect and motionless. Let the adept consider the many forces which maintain it; firstly, the attraction of the earth, of the sun, of the planets, of the farthest stars, nay, of every mote of dust in the room, one of which (could it be annihilated) would cause that body to move, although so imperceptibly. Also the resistance of the floor, the pressure of the air, and all other external conditions. Secondly, the internal forces which sustain it, the vast and complex machinery of the skeleton, the muscles, {113} the blood, the lymph, the marrow, all that makes up a man. Thirdly the moral and intellectual forces involved, the mind, the will, the consciousness. Let him continue this with unremitting ardour, searching Nature, leaving nothing out. 28. Next, let him take one of the immediate causes of his position, and trace out its equilibrium. For example, the will. What determines the will to aid in holding the body erect and motionless? 29. This being discovered, let him choose one of the forces which determined his will, and trace out that in similar fashion; and let this process be continued for many days until the interdependence of all things is a truth assimilated in his inmost being. 30. This being accomplished, let him trace his own history with special reference to the causes of each event. And in this practice he may neglect to some extent the universal forces which at all times act on all, as for example the attraction of masses, and let him concentrate his attention upon the principal and determining or effective causes. For instance, he is seated, perhaps, in a country place in Spain. Why? Because Spain is warm and suitable for meditation, and because cities are noisy and crowded. Why is Spain warm? and why does he wish to meditate? Why choose warm Spain rather than warm India? To the last question: Because Spain is nearer to his home. Then why is his home near Spain? Because his parents were Germans. And why did they go to Germany? And so during the whole meditation. 31. On another day, let him begin with a question of another kind, and every day devise new questions, not only concerning his present situation, but also abstract questions. {114} Thus let him connect the prevalence of water upon the surface of the globe with its necessity to such life as we know, with the specific gravity and other physical properties of water, and let him perceive ultimately through all this the necessity and concord of things, not concord as the schoolmen of old believed, making all things for man's benefit or convenience, but the essential mechanical concord whose final law is "inertia." And in these meditations let him avoid as if it were the plague any speculation sentimental or fantastic. 32. Second Method. The Practice Proper. Having then perfected in his mind these conceptions, let him apply them to his own career, forging the links of memory into the chain of necessity. And let this be his final question: To what purpose am I fitted? Of what service can my being prove to the Brothers of the A.'. A.'. if I cross the Abyss, and am admitted to the City of the Pyramids? 33. Now that he may clearly understand the nature of this question, and the method of solution, let him study the reasoning of the anatomist who reconstructs an animal from a single bone. To take a simple example. 34. Suppose, having lived all my life among savages, a ship is cast upon the shore and wrecked. Undamaged among the cargo is a "Victoria." What is its use? The wheels speak of roads, their slimness of smooth roads, the brake of hilly roads. The shafts show that it was meant to be drawn by an animal, their height and length suggest an animal of the size of a horse. That the carriage is open suggests a climate tolerable at any rate for part of the year. The height of the box suggest crowded streets, or the spirited character of the {115} animal employed to draw it. The cushions indicate its use to convey men rather than merchandise; its hood that rain sometimes falls, or that the sun is at times powerful. The springs would imply considerable skill in metals; the varnish much attainment in that craft. 35. Similarly, let the adept consider of his own case. Now that he is on the point of plunging into the Abyss a giant Why? confronts him with uplifted club. 36. There is no minutest atom of his composition which can be withdrawn without making him some other than he is; no useless moment in his past. Then what is his future? The "Victoria" is not a wagon; it is not intended for carting hay. It is not a sulky; it is useless in trotting races. 37. So the adept has military genius, or much knowledge of Greek; how do these attainments help his purpose, or the purpose of the Brothers? He was put to death by Calvin, or stoned by Hezekiah; as a snake he was killed by a villager, or as an elephant slain in battle under Hamilcar. How do such memories help him? Until he have thoroughly mastered the reason for every incident in his past, and found a purpose for every item of his present equipment, <> he cannot truly answer even those Three Question what were first put to him, even the Three Questions of the Ritual of the Pyramid; he is not ready to swear the Oath of the Abyss. 38. But being thus enlightened, let him swear the Oath of the Abyss; yea, let him swear the Oath of the Abyss. {116} ADONIS AN ALLEGORY BY ALEISTER CROWLEY "Inscribed to Adonis." {117} PERSONS OF THE ALLEGORY THE KING OF BABYLON, "tributary to the King of Greece" HERMES, "a Greek Physician" THE LADY PSYCHE THE COUNT ADONIS, "at first known as the Lord Esarhaddon" THE LADY ASTARTE "The Warriors of the King of Babylon" HANUMAN, "Servant to Hermes" CHARIS,. ELPIS, : "Attendants on Psyche" PISTIS,. "Three Aged Women" "Handmaidens and Slaves of Astarte" ADONIS ACT I SCENE I: "The hanging gardens of Babylon. R., the House of the Lady Astarte; L., a gateway; C., a broad lawn enriched with clustered flowers and sculptures. The sun is nigh his setting. On a couch under the wall of the city reposes the Lord Esarhaddon, fanned by two slaves, a negro boy and a fair Kabyle girl, clad in yellow and blue, the boy's robes being covered with a veil of silver, the girl's with a veil of gold." "They are singing to him softly:" THE BOY. All crimson-veined is Tigris' flood; The sun has stained his mouth with blood. THE GIRL. Orange and green his standards sweep. THE BOY. His minions keen. THE GIRL. His maidens weep. THE BOY. But thou, Lord, thou! The hour is nigh When from the prow of luxury Shall step the death of all men's hearts, She whose live breath, a dagger's darts, A viper's vice, an adder's grip, A cockatrice 'twixt lip and lip, She whose black eyes are suns to shower {119} Love's litanies from hour to hour, Whose limbs are scythes like Death's of whom The body writhes, a lotus-bloom Swayed by the wind of love, a crime Too sweetly sinned, the queen of time, The lady of heaven, to whom the stars, Seven by seven, from their bars Lean and do worship --- even she Who hath given all her sweet self to thee, The Lady Astarte! THE GIRL. Peace, O peace! A swan, she sails through ecstasies Of air and marble and flowers, she sways As the full moon through midnight's haze Of gauze --- her body is like a dove And a snake, and life, and death, and love! THE BOY. Even as the twilight so is she, Half seen, half subtly apprehended, Ethereally and bodily. The soul incarnate, the body transcended! THE GIRL. Aching, aching passionately, Insufferably, utterly splendid! THE BOY. Her lips make pale the setting sun! THE GIRL. Her body blackens Babylon! THE BOY. Her eyes turn midnight's murk to grey! THE GIRL. Her breasts make midnight of the day! THE BOY. About her, suave and subtle, swims The musk and madness of her limbs! THE GIRL. Her mouth is magic like the moon's. THE BOY. Her breath is bliss! {120} THE GIRL. Her steps are swoons! [ENTER ASTARTE, "with her five handmaidens." THE BOY. Away, away! THE GIRL. With heart's accord, To leave his lady to our lord. ["They go out." THE BOY. Let him forget our service done Of palm-leaves waved, that never tires, In his enchanted Babylon Of infinite desires! [ASTARTE "kneels at the foot of the couch, and taking the feet of Esarhaddon in her hands, covers them with kisses." ASTARTE. Nay, never wake! unless to catch my neck And break me up with kisses --- never sleep, Unless to dream new pains impossible To waking! Girls! with more than dream's address, Wake him with perfume till he smile, with strokes Softer than moonbeams till he turn, and sigh, With five slow drops of wine between his lips Until his heart heave, with young thrills of song Until his eyelids open, and the first And fairest of ye greet him like a flower, So that awakened he may break from you and turn to me who am all these in one. IST MAIDEN. Here is the wealth Of all amber and musk, Secreted by stealth In the domes of the dusk! {121} 2ND MAIDEN. Here the caress Of a cheek --- let it stir The first liens of liesse Not to me --- but to her! 3RD MAIDEN. Here the quintessence Of dream and delight, Evoking the presence Of savour to sight! 4TH MAIDEN. List to the trill And the ripple and roll Of a tune that may thrill Thee through sense to the soul! 5TH MAIDEN. Look on the fairest, The masterless maid! Ere thine eye thou unbarest, I flicker, I fade. All. Wake! as her garland is tossed in the air When the nymph meets Apollo, our forehead is bare. We divide, we disperse, we dislimn, we dissever, For we are but now, and our lady for ever! ["They go out." ESARHADDON. I dreamed of thee! Dreams beyond form and name! It was a chain of ages, and a flash Of lightning --- which thou wilt --- since --- Oh I see Nothing, feel nothing, and am nothing --- ash Of the universe burnt through! {122} ASTARTE. And I the flame! ESARHADDON. Wreathing and roaring for an ageless aeon, Wrapping the world, spurning the empyrean, Drowning with dark despotic imminence All life and light, annihilating sense --- I have been sealed and silent in the womb Of nothingness to burst, a babe's bold bloom, Into the upper aethyr of thine eyes. Oh! one grave glance enkindles Paradise, One sparkle sets me on the throne above, Mine orb the world. ASTARTE. Nay, stir not yet. Let love Breathe like the zephyr on the unmoved deep, Sigh to awakening from its rosy sleep; Let the stars fade, and all the east grow grey And tender, ere the first faint rose of day Flush it. Awhile! Awhile! There's crimson bars Enough to blot the noblest of the stars, And bow for adoration ere the rim Start like God's spear to ware the world of Him! Softly! ESARHADDON. But kiss me! ASTARTE. With an eyelash first! ESARHADDON. Treasure and torture! ASTARTE. Tantalising thirst Makes the draught more delicions. Heaven were worth Little without the purgatory, earth! ESARHADDON. You make earth heaven. ASTARTE. And heaven hell. To choose thee Is to interpret misery "To lose thee." {123} ESARHADDON. Ay! death end all if it must end thy kiss! ASTARTE. And death be all if it confirm life's bliss! ESARHADDON. And death come soon if death fill life's endeavour! ASTARTE. And if it spill life's vintage, death come never! ESARHADDON. The sun sets. Bathe me in the rain of gold! ASTARTE. These pearls that decked it shimmering star-cold Fall, and my hair falls, wreathes an aureole. Even as thy love encompasses my soul! ESARHADDON. I am blinded; I am bruised; I am stung. Each thread Hisses. ASTARTE. There's life there for a thousand dead! ESARHADDON. And death there for a million! ASTARTE. Even so. Life, death, new life, a web spun soft and slow By love, the spider, in these palaces That taketh hold. ESARHADDON. Take hold. ASTARTE. Keen joyaunces Mix with the multitudinous murmurings, And all the kisses sharpen into stings. Nay! shall my mouth take hold? Beware! Once fain, How shall it ever leave thy mouth again? ESARHADDON. Why should it? ASTARTE. Is not sleep our master yet? ESARHADDON. Why must we think when wisdom would forget? {124} ASTARTE. Lest we in turn forget to fill the hour. ESARHADDON. The pensive been leaves honey in the flower. ASTARTE. Now the sun's rim is dipped. And thus I dip My gold to the horizon of thy lip. ESARHADDON. Ah! ... ASTARTE. There's no liquor, none, within the cup. ESARHADDON. Nay, draw not back; nay, then, but lift me up. I would the cup were molten too; I'd drain Its blasting agony. ASTARTE. In vain. ESARHADDON. In vain? Nay, let the drinker and the draught in one Blaze up at last, and burn down Babylon! ASTARTE. All but the garden, and our bed, and --- see! The false full moon that comes to rival me. ESARHADDON. She comes to lamp our love. ["A chime of bells without." ASTARTE. I'll tire my hair. The banquet waits. Girls, follow me. ["They go out, leaving" ESARHADDON. ESARHADDON. How fair And full she sweeps, the buoyant barge upon The gilded curves of Tigris. She's the swan That drew the gods to gaze, the fawn that called Their passion to his glades of emerald, The maid that maddened Mithras, the quick quiver Of reeds that drew Oannes from the river! ... She is gone. The garden is a wilderness. Oh for the banquet of the lioness, {125} the rich astounding wines, the kindling meats, The music and the dancers! Fiery seats Of empire of the archangels, let your wings Ramp through the empyrean! Lords and Kings Of the Gods, descend and serve us, as we spurn And trample life, fill death's sardonyx urn With loves immortal --- how shall I endure This moment's patience? Ah, she comes, be sure! Her foot flits on the marble. ... Open, gate! ["The gate, not of the house but of the garden, opens. The Lady Psyche appears. She is clothed in deep purple, as mourning, and her hair is bound with a fillet of cypress and acacia. She is attended by three maidens and three aged women." What tedious guest arrives? PSYCHE. White hour of fate! I have found him! ESARHADDON. Who is this? ... Fair lady, pardon. You seek the mistress of the garden? PSYCHE. I thought I had found the lord I seek. Your pardon, lord. These eyes are weary and weak With tears and my vain search. ESARHADDON. Whom seek you then? PSYCHE. My husband --- my sole miracle of men, The Count Adonis. [ESARHADDON "staggers and falls on the couch." PSYCHE. You know of him? ESARHADDON. No. I cannot tell what struck me so. I never heard the name. {126} PSYCHE. Indeed, your eyes Are liker his than wedded dragon-flies! Your brows are his, your mouth is his --- Yet all's awry! ESARHADDON. May be it is! PSYCHE. Oh, pardon. Mine is but a mad girl's glance Adonis is this soul's inheritance. All else is madness. ESARHADDON. Mad! Mad! Mad! Mad! Mad! Why say you this? Who are you? Sad? Glad? Bad? Bad! Bad! Speak, speak! Bleak peak of mystery? Weak cheek of modesty? PSYCHE. Oh, pardon me! I did not mean to move you thus. ESARHADDON. I am stirred Too easily. You used a shameful word! PSYCHE. Accept my sorrow. I am all alone In this black night. My heart is stone, My limbs are lead, mine eyes accurst, My throat a hell of thirst. ... My husband --- they suppose him dead. ... They made me wear these weeds. Could I In my heart credit half they said, Not these funereal robes should wrap me round, But the white cerements of a corpse, and high Upon a pyre of sandal and ebony, Should dare through flame the inequitable profound! But only these of all mine household come In faith and hope and love so far from home, {127} And these three others joined me --- why, who knows? But thou, lord, in whose face his likeness shows --- At the first glance --- for now, i' faith, 'tis gone! --- Hast thou dwelt away here in Babylon? ESARHADDON. Now must I laugh --- forgive me in your sorrow! My life's not yesterday and not to-morrow. I live; I know no more. PSYCHE. How so? ESARHADDON. I fear I know but this, that I'm a stranger here. The call me the Lord Esarhaddon --- name Borrowed or guessed, I cannot tell! I came Whence I know not --- some malady Destroyed my memory. PSYCHE. Oh, were you he! But yet I see you are not. Had you no tokens from the life forgot? ESARHADDON. Nay, I came naked into Babylon. I live the starlight and sleep through the sun. I am happy in love, I am rich, I eat and drink, I gather goods, I laugh, I never think. Know me the prince of perfect pleasure! PSYCHE. Yet Is there not something that you would forget? Some fear that chills you? While you talk to me I see you glance behind you fearfully. ESARHADDON ("with furtive fear amounting to horror") You see the Shadow? PSYCHE. No: slim shadows stretch From yonder moon, and woo the world, and etch {128} With their fantastic melancholy grotesques The earth --- man's destiny in arabesques. ESARHADDON. You are blind! You are mad! See where he stands! It is the King of Babylon, Reeking daggers in his hands --- And black blood oozes, oozes, throbs and dips From his eyes and nostrils to his lips That he sucks, gnashing his fangs. Upon His head is a crown of skulls, and monkeys new And gibber and mop about him. Skew! Spew! Ugh! Hu! Mow! Now! Mow! they go --- cannot you hear them? What? have you courage to go near them? PSYCHE. Nothing is there. ESARHADDON. Oh, but he has the head Of a boar, the black boar Night! All dead, dead, dead, The eyes of girls that once were beautiful Hang round his neck. Whack! Crack! he slaps a skull For a drum --- Smack! Flack! Thwack! Back, I'll not attack. Quack! Quack! there's ducks and devils on his back. Keep him away. You want a man, you say? Well, there's a king for you to-day. Go, kiss him! Slobber over him! HIs ribs Should be readily tickled. Wah! Wah! Wah! she jibs. Ugh! there he came too close. I'll bite the dust; I'll lick the slime of Babylon. Great lust, Great god, great devil, gar-gra-gra-gra! Spare me! {129} Take this wench, though she were the womb that bare me! See! Did I tell you, he's the King, the King, The King of Terrors. See me grovelling! Yah! Ha! PSYCHE. There's nothing there. Are you a man To craze at naught? ESARHADDON. Immitigable ban! Immitigable, pitiful, profound --- Ban, can, fan, ran, and pan is underground, Round, bound, sound --- Oh have pity! ... Who art thou Whose coming thus unmans me? Not till now Saw I, or felt I, or heard I, the King So mumbling near; black blood's on everything. Boo! Scow! Be off! Out! Vanish! Fly! Begone! Out! Off! Out! Off! I'm King of Babylon. Oh no! Thy pardon. Spare me! 'Tis as a slip O' th' lip. Now flip! rip! bawdy harlot, skip! ["He threatens her. She trembles, but holds her ground." Strip, yes, I'll strip you naked, strip your flesh In strips with my lips, gnaw your bones like a dog. Off, sow! Off, grumpet! Strumpet! Scum-pit! Flails to thresh Your body! Clubs to mash your face in! Knives To cut away your cat's nine lives! ASTARTE. ("Entering hastily.") What's this? Who are you? What right have you to come And make this havoc in the home? Can you not see what wreck your tempest makes? {130} Begone! I have a fiery flight of snakes To lash you hence! PSYCHE. It may be mine's the right. It may be you are nothing in my sight. It may be I have found my lord at last; And you --- his concubine? May be out-cast. ASTARTE. This is the sure thing, that I chase thee. Slaves! Hither your whips! that are more black with blood Of such as this thing than your skins with kisses Of your sun's frenzy. ["The slaves run up." PSYCHE. Thou vain woman! Now I know him, lost, wrecked, mad, but mine, but mine, Indissolubly dowered with me, my husband, The Count Adonis! ESARHADDON. Ah! ["He falls, but into the arms of "ASTARTE. ASTARTE. Ho! guard us now And lash this thing from the garden! ["The slaves form in line between "PSYCHE "and the others." PSYCHE. Adonis! ESARHADDON. Ah! Astarte, there's some sorcery abroad. ASTARTE. The spell is broken, dear my lord. There is a wall of ebony and steel About us. ESARHADDON. What then do I feel When that name sounds? ASTARTE. A trick of mind. Things broken up and left behind Keep roots to plague us when we least expect them. {131} The wise --- and thou art wise --- let naught affect them. Let us to feast! ESARHADDON. Ah no! I tremble still, Despite my reason and despite my will. Let me lie with thee here awhile, and dream Upon thine eyes beneath the moon, Whose slanted beam Lights up thy face, that sends its swoon Of languour and hunger through The infinite space that severs two So long as they cannot rise above Into the unity of love. However close lock hands and feet, Only one moment may they meet; When in the one pang that runs level With death and birth, the royal revel, The lover and the loved adore The thing that is, when they are not. ASTARTE. No more! Bury thy face between these hills that threat The heaven, their rosy spears (the gods that fret) Tipping thine ears, and with my hair I'll hide thee; And these mine handmaidens shall stand beside thee, And mix their nightingale with lion Of the guard that chorus and clash iron, While as a river laps its banks My fingertips caress thy flanks! ("Chorus.") MEN. Under the sun there is none, there is none That hath heard such a word as our lord hath begun. {132} WOMEN. Under the moon such a tune, such a tune As his thought hath half caught in this heaven of June. MEN. Never hath night such a light, such a rite! WOMEN. Never had day such a ray, such a sway! MEN. Never had man, since began the earth's plan, Such a bliss, such a kiss, such a woman as this! WOMEN. Never had maid since God bade be arrayed Earth's bowers with his flowers, such a man to her powers! MEN. Mix in the measure, Black grape and white cherry! A passion, a pleasure, A torment, a treasure, You to be mournful and we to be merry! WOMEN. We shall be solemn And grave and alluring, You be the column Upstanding, enduring. We be the ivy and vine To entwine --- My mouth on your mouth, and your mouth on mine! MEN. Burnish our blades With your veils, Merry maids! WOMEN. Sever their cords With the scales Of your swords! MEN. As a whirlwind that licks up a leaf Let us bear {133} You, an aureate sheaf Adrift in the air! WOMEN. As a butterfly hovers and flits, Let us guide To bewilder your wits Bewitched by a bride! MEN. Now, as the stars shall Encircle the moon, Our ranks let us marshal In time and in tune! WOMEN. Leading our lady and lord To the feast, Ere the night be abroad, The black rose of the east! MEN AND WOMEN. Arise! arise! the feast is spread, The wine is poured; the singers wait Eager to lure and lull; the dancers tread Impatient to invoke the lords of Fate. Arise, arise! the feast delayed delays The radiant raptures that must crown its ways. ASTARTE. Come now. Ah! still the pallor clings? Wine will redeem the roses. Stretch the strings Of thy slack heart! Still trembling? Lean on me! This shoulder could hold up eternity. ["They go forth to the banquet." {134} SCENE II. THE HALL OF THE PALACE OF ASTARTE. "Onyx, alabaster, porphyry and malachite are the pillars; and the floor of mosaic. In the high seat is" ASTARTE, "on her right" HERMES, "A Greek physician. He is a slight, old man, with piercing eyes and every mark of agility and vigour. His dress is that of a Babylonish physican." HERMES. And now, polite preliminaries past, Tell me, dear lady, what the little trouble is! ASTARTE. It was quite sudden. HERMES. Good; not like to last. It bursts, such malady a brittle bubble is! How is the pulse? Allow me! ASTARTE. Not for me Your skill. My husband's lost his memory. HERMES. Yet he remembers you? ASTARTE. O quite, of course! HERMES. Let it alone! Don't flog the willing horse! Were I to cure him by my magic spells, The odds are he'd remember someone else! ASTARTE. Ah, but --- a month ago --- a woman came --- HERMES. Cool --- warm --- hot --- now we're getting near the flame! ASTARTE. And what she said or did who knows? HERMES. These men! ASTARTE. Yes! But he's never been the same since then! I've taken endless trouble not to fret him, Done everything I could to please and pet him, And now this wretched woman has upset him! {135} HERMES. Was he distressed much at the time? ASTARTE. Distressed? Mad as an elephant in spring! HERMES. I guessed It. Think he took a fancy to the girl? ASTARTE. Well, honestly, I don't. My mind's a whirl With worry. She's a flimsy creature, rags Of sentiment, and tears, and worn-out tags Of wisdom. HERMES. Yes, you've nothing much to fear While you appear as ... what you do appear. ASTARTE. Well, there they stood, crying like butchered swine, She and her maids. It seems she's lost her man, Can't get another, wanted to claim mine. I put a stopper on the pretty plan. But ever since --- well, I can't say what's wrong, But something's wrong. HERMES. Yes; yes. Now is it long? ASTARTE. About a month. HERMES. What physic have you tried? ASTARTE. The usual things; young vipers skinned and dried And chopped with rose-leaves; cow's hoof stewed in dung, One pilule four times daily, on the tongue; Lark's brains in urine after every meal, With just a touch of salt and orange-peel. HERMES. And yet he is no better? ASTARTE. Not a whit. {136} Oh yes, though, not I come to think of it, Snails pounded up and taken after food Did seem to do some temporary good. Of course we kept him on a doubled diet. HERMES. Have you tried change of air, and rest, and quiet? ASTARTE. No; what a strange idea! HERMES. As strange as new. Yet there seems somehow something in it too! Still, here's where silence is worth seven speeches --- I might get strangled by my brother leeches. Now, are you sure you want him cured? ASTARTE. Why, yes, Why should I call you in? HERMES. But none the less It might be awkward his remembering more. ASTARTE. I simply want him as he was before. HERMES. And if it should turn out, as I suspect, He was this woman's husband. ASTARTE. Then select A --- you know --- something suitable --- to put her Where she won't worry me, or want a suitor. HERMES. I understand you; but I'm old; your beauty Might fail to make me careless of my duty. ASTARTE. I'll take the risk. HERMES. Then let me see the victim; If bound, we'll loosen him; if loose, constrict him. There, madam, in one phrase from heart to heart, Lies the whole mystery of the healer's art! Where is the pathic? {137} ASTARTE. Hush! in Babylon We say "the patient." HERMES. Yes? ASTARTE. It's often one. For Babylonish is so quaint a tongue One often goes too right by going wrong! I'll call him from the garden. ["Goes out." HERMES. ("alone"). Is there need To see the man? He's simply off his feed. A child could see the way to make him hearty: More exercise, less food --- and less Astarte! ["Enter" ESARHADDON. I greet your lordship. ESARHADDON. Greeting, sir! HERMES. And so We're not as healthy as a month ago? The pulse? Allow me! Ah! Tut! Tut! Not bad. The tongue? Thanks! Kindly tell me what you had For dinner. ESARHADDON. Nothing: practically nothing. I seem to look on food with utter loathing. HERMES. Just so; but you contrived to peck a bit? ESARHADDON. Only a dozen quails upon the spit, A little sturgeon cooked with oysters, wine, Mushrooms and crayfish. ... HERMES. That is not to dine. ESARHADDON. Well, after that I toyed with pheasant pasty, Sliced --- you know how --- with pineapple. HERMES. Eat hasty? {138} ESARHADDON. No, not at all. Well, then a sucking-pig Stuffed with grape, olive, cucumber, peach, fig, And lemon. Then I trifled with a curry ---- HERMES. You're sure you didn't eat it in a hurry? ESARHADDON. Quite sure. The curry was simplicity Itself --- plain prawns. Then there was --- let me see! --- A dish of fruit, then a kid roasted whole, Some venison fried with goose-liver, a roll Of very tender spicy well-cooked veal Done up with honey, olive oil, and meal, Some sweets, but only three or four, and those I hardly touched. HERMES. But why now? ESARHADDON. I suppose I wasn't hungry. HERMES. Diagnosis right; A simple case of loss of appetite! Surely they tempted you with something else. ESARHADDON. A few live lobsters broiled within their shells. I ate two only. HERMES. That explains the tongue. Now let me listen! Sound in heart and lung. (And I should think so!) 'Twas a sage that sung: "Whom the Gods love, love lobsters; they die young." And yet greater sage sublimely said: "Look not upon the lobster when it's red!" {139} ESARHADDON. A Babylonish bard has said the same Of wine. HERMES. Ah, wine now? Out with it! Die game! ESARHADDON. By fin and tail of great Oannes, I Am the mere model of sobriety. HERMES. What did you drink for dinner? ESARHADDON. Scarce a drop At any time --- four flagons, there I stop. With just a flask of barley-wine to top. HERMES. Just so becomes a nobleman of sense Whose moderation errs toward abstinence. ESARHADDON. Abstinence! That's the word I couldn't think of! I'm an abstainer. Everything I drink of Is consecrated by a melancholic Priest. HERMES. Which prevents it being alcoholic! ESARHADDON. Sir, you appear to understand my case As no one else has done. Appalling face These quacks have that crowd Babylon. Your fee? Though none can pay the service done to me. HERMES. One moment. What about your memory? Well, never mind, just follow my advice; That will come back before you say "knife" twice. First, fire your slaves, the rogues that thieve and laze: A slave's worse than two masters now-a-days. Next, live on nothing but boiled beans and tripe, With once a week a melon --- when they're ripe. {140} Next, sent the Lady Astarte up the river; She looks to me to have a touch of liver. And you must teach your muscles how to harden, So stay at home, and labour in the garden! ESARHADDON. You damned insulting blackguard! Charlatan! Quack! Trickster! Scoundrel! Cheating medicine-man! You ordure-tasting privy-sniffing rogue, You think because your humbug is the vogue You can beard me? HERMES. I'll tell you just one thing. Disobey me, and --- trouble with the King! ESARHADDON. Ring-a-ling-ting! Ping! Spring! HERMES. That's cooked his goose. I'll tell Astarte, though it's not much use. ["He goes out." It's only one more of life's little curses --- The best of women make the worst of nurses! {141} SCENE III. THE CONSULTING-ROOM OF HERMES. "It has two parts, the first filled with stuffed crocodiles, snakes, astrolabes, skeletons, lamps of strange shape, vast rolls of papyri, vases containing such objects as a foetus, a mummied child, a six-legged sheep. Hands (obviously those of criminals) have been painted with phosphorus, and give light. Sculptures of winged bulls and bricks inscribed with arrow-head characters are ranged about the walls. A chain of elephant's bones covered with its hide contains the doctor, who is dressed as before in a long black robe covered with mysterious characters. On his head is a high conical cap of black silk dotted with gold stars. In his right hand is a wand of human teeth strung together, in his left a "book" of square palm-leaves bound in silver. At the back of the room is a black curtain completely veiling its second portion. This curtain is covered with cabalistic characters and terrifying images in white." ["Enter the servant of" HERMES, "a negro uglier than an ape. He is immensely long and lean; his body hangs forward, so that his arms nearly touch the ground. He is clad in a tightly fitting suit of scarlet, and wears a scarlet skull-cap. he makes deep obeisance."] HERMES. Speak, Hanuman! HANUMAN. A lady. [HERMES "nods gravely. Exit" HANUMAN. HERMES. Abaoth! Abraxas! Pur! Put! Aeou! Thoth! ["Enter the" LADY PSYCHE "with one attendant." {142} Ee! Oo! Uu! Iao Sabaoth! Dogs of Hell! Mumble spell! Up! Up! Up! Sup! Sup! Sup! U! Aoth! Abaoth! Abraoth! Sabaoth! Livid, loath, Obey the oath! Ah! ["He shuts the book with a snap," You have come to me because you are crossed In love. PSYCHE. Most true, sir! HERMES. Ah! you're Greek! PSYCHE. As you yourself, sir. HERMES. Then I've lost My pains. I need not fear to speak. I took you for a fool. Ho! veil, divide! [HANUMAN "appears and lays his hand on a cord." Things are much pleasanter the other side. ["The doctor throws off his cloak and cap, his straggling white hair and long pointed beard, appearing as a youth dressed fashionably; at the same time the curtain pulled back shows a room furnished with the luxury of a man of the world. A low balcony of marble at the back gives a view of the city, and of the Tigris winding far into the distance, where dim blue mountains rim the horizon."] {143} ["The doctor conducts his client to a lounge, where they sit." HERMES. Bring the old Chian, Hanuman! ["The negro goes to obey." This joke Is the accepted way of scaring folk; And if they're scared, they may find conficence Which is half cure. Most people have no sense. If only they would sweat, and wash, eat slow, Drink less, think more, the leech would starve or go. But they prefer debauchery, disease, Clysters, drugs, philtres, filth, and paying fees! Now then, to business! PSYCHE. Tell me how you guessed It was my heart that found itself distressed! HERMES. I always sing a woman just that song; In twenty years I've never once been wrong. Seeing me thus marvellously wise, Veneration follows on surprise: Sometime they will do what I advise! PSYCHE. I see. You have real knowledge. HERMES. Not to be learnt at college! PSYCHE. Good; you're my man. I am come from Greece, Where the Gods live and love us, sorrowing For my lost husband. I have found him here, But with his memory gone, his mind distraught, Living in luxury with a courtesan (I could forgive him that if he knew me), Filled with a blind unreasoning fear of what Who knows? He's haunted by a spectre king. {144} HERMES. Physicians must know everything: Half the night burn learning's candle, Half the day devote to scandal. Here's the mischief of the matter That I learn most from the latter! Yesterday I paid a visit To the fair ... Astarte, is it? Saw the kitchen and the closet, Deduced diet from deposit, Saw where silkworm joined with swan To make a bed to sleep upon, Saw the crowd of cringing knaves That have made their masters slaves, Saw Astarte --- diagnosed What had made him see a ghost! PSYCHE. Can you cure him? HERMES. In my hurry (And a not unnatural worry At the name of lobster curry) I so far forgot my duty As to mention to the beauty What ... well! here's the long and short of it! Just exactly what I thought of it. Tempests, by Oannes' fin! PSYCHE. Sorry that he'd called you in? HERMES. So much so that I'd a doubt If he wouldn't call me out! PSYCHE. Then he will not hear your counsel? HERMES. No; I bade him live on groundsel; {145} But the little social friction Interfered with the prescription. PSYCHE. There's no hope, then? HERMES. Lend an ear! We may rule him by his fear! Somehow we may yet contrive That he see the King, and live! Have you influence? PSYCHE. At Court? Plenty, in the last resort. Letters from his suzerain! HERMES. You are high in favour then? PSYCHE. Ay, that needs not to be sworn; I am his own daughter born. HERMES. In thy blood the spark divine Of Olympus? PSYCHE. Even in mine! HERMES. Hark, then! At the Hour of Fears When the lordly Lion rears In mid-heaven his bulk of bane Violently vivid, shakes his mane Majestical, and Snake and Bull Lamp the horizon, and the full Fire of the moon tops heaven, and spurs The stars, while Mars ruddily burns, And Venus glows, and Jupiter Ramps through the sky astride of her, Then, unattended, let the king Press on the little secret spring That guards the garden, and entering {146} Lay once his hand upon him, even While in the white arms of his heaven He swoons to sleep. That dreadful summons From the wild witchery his woman's. That shaft of shattering truth shall splinter The pine of his soul's winter. Then do thou following cry once His name; as from eclipse the sun's Supernal splendour springs, his sight Shall leap to light. PSYCHE. Shall leap to light! Master, this wisdom how repay? HERMES. I am sworn unto thy father --- Nay! Weep not and kneel not! See, mine art ["The two other handmaidens are seen standing by their fellow."] Hath wrought such wonder in thine heart That --- look! PSYCHE. Ah! Pistis, Elpis! how Are you here? You were not with me now! You fled me. Charis only came Through those dark dreams. HERMES. Farewell! Proclaim For my reward my art's success. More than yourself need happiness. PSYCHE. Farewell and prosper greatly! ["She goes out with her maidens." HERMES. And thou, live high and stately In glory and gree tenfold That which thou hadst of old! ["He draws the curtain." {147} SCENE IV: THE ANTECHAMBER OF THE KING'S PALACE. "It is a vast hall of black marble. At the corners four fountains play in basins of coloured marble. At the back a narrow door pillared by vast man-bulls in white marble." "In mid-stage the" LADY PSYCHE, "seated on the ground, her long hair unloosed, her robe of shining silver, mourns." "With her are the three handmaidens bowed and mourning at front of the stage" R., C., "and" L. "The aged women are grouped in front of stage "C., "on the steps which lead to the hall." "No light comes save through the robes of the" LADY PSYCHE "from the jewels that adorn her. Their glimmer is, however, such as to fill the hall with moony radiance, misty dim, and lost in the vastness of the building." PSYCHE. Silence grows hateful; hollow is mine heart Here in the fateful hall; I wait apart. Dimmer, still dimmer darkness veils my sight; There is no glimmer heralding the light. I, the King's daughter, am but serf and thrall Where Time hath wrought her cobweb in the hall. This blood avails not; where's the signet ring Whose pussiance fails not to arouse the King? Heir of his heart, I am uncrowned; then, one That hath no art or craft in Babylon. I left my home and found a vassal's house --- This lampless dome of death, vertiginous! O for the foam of billows that carouse About the crag-set columns! for the breeze {148} That fans their flagging Caryatides! For the gemmed vestibule, the porch of pearl, The bowers of rest, the silences that furl Their wings upon mine amethystine chamber Whose lions shone with emerald and amber! O for the throne whereon my father's awe, Lofty and lone, lets liberty love law! All justice wrought, its sword the healer's knife! All mercy, not less logical than life! Alas! I wait a widowed suppliant Betrayed to fate, blind trampling elephant. I wait and mourn. Will not the dust disclose The Unicorn, the Unicorn that goes About the gardens of these halls of Spring, First of the wardens that defend the King? Wilt thou not bring me to the Unicorn? ["The Unicorn passes over. He has the swiftness of the horse, the slimness of the deer, the whiteness of the swan, the horn of the narwhal. He couches upon the right side of the" LADY PSYCHE.] Hail! thou that holdest thine appointed station, Lordliest and boldest of his habitation, Silence that foldest over its creation! ["The Lion passes over. He is redder than the setting sun. He couches upon the left side of the" LADY PSYCHE.] Hail! thou that art his ward and warrior, The brazen heart, the iron pulse of war! Up start, up start! and set thyself to roar! {149} ["The Peacock passes over. This peacock is so great that his fan, as he spreads it on couching before the face of the" LADY PSYCHE, "fills the whole of the hall."] Hail! glory and light his majesty that hideth, Pride and delight whereon his image rideth, While in thick night and darkness he abideth! ["The stage now darkens. Even the light shed by the jewels of the" LADY PSYCHE "is extinguished. Then, from the gate of the Palace between the man-bulls there issueth a golden hawk. In his beak is a jewel which he drops into the lamp that hangs from the height above the head of the" LADY PSYCHE. "This lamp remains dark. During this darkness the Unicorn, the Lion, and the Peacock disappear."] Love me and lead me through the blind abysses! Fill me and feed me on the crowning kisses, Like flowers that flicker in the garden of glory, Pools of pure liquor like pale flames and hoary That lamp the lightless empyrean! Ah! love me! All space be sightless, and thine eyes above me! Thrice burnt and branded on this bleeding brow, Stamp thou the candid stigma --- even now! ["The lamp flashes forth into dazzling but momentary radiance. As it goes out a cone of white light is seen upon the head of" THE LADY PSYCHE, "And before her stands a figure of immense height cloaked and hooded in perfect blackness."] THE KING. Come! for the throne is hollow. The eagle hath cried: Come away! The stars are numbered, and the tide {150} Turns. Follow! Follow! Thine Adonis slumbered. As a bride Adorned, come, follow! Fate alone is fallen and wried. Follow me, follow! The unknown is satisfied. ["The" LADY PSYCHE "is lifted to her feet. In silence she bows, and in silence follows him as he turns and advances to the gate while the curtain falls."] SCENE V: THE GARDEN OF THE LADY ASTARTE. THE LORD ESARHADDON "is lying on the couch with his mistress. Their arms are intertwined. They and their slaves and maidens are all fallen into the abysses of deep sleep. It is a cloudless night; and the full moon, approaching mid-heaven, casts but the shortest shadows." "The Murmur of the Breeze" I am the Breeze to bless the bowers, Sigh through the trees, caress the flowers; Each folded bud to sway, to swoon, With its green blood beneath the moon Stirred softly by my kiss; I bear The sort reply of amber air To the exhaled sighs of the heat That dreams and dies amid the wheat, From the cool breasts of mountains far --- Their serried crests clasp each a star! The earth's pulse throbs with mighty rivers; With her low sobs God's heaven quivers; {151} The dew stands on her brow; with love She aches for all the abyss above, Her rocks and chasms the lively strife Of her sharp spasms of lust, of life. Hark! to the whisper of my fan, My sister kiss to maid and man. Through all earth's wombs, through all sea's waves, Gigantic glooms, forgotten graves, I haunt the tombs of kings and slaves. I hush the babe, I wake the bird, I wander away beyond stars unstirred, Soften the ripples of the tide, Soothe the bruised nipples of the bride, Help stars and clouds play hide-and-seek, Wind seamen's shrouds, bid ruins speak, Bring dreams to slumber, sleep to dream Whose demons cumber night's extreme. And softer sped than dream or death Quiet as the dead, or slain love's breath, I sigh for loves that swoon upon The hanging groves of Babylon. Each terrace adds a shower of scent Where lass and lad seduce content; Each vine that hangs confirms the stress Of purer pangs of drunkenness; Each marble wall and pillar swerves Majestical my course to curves Subtle as breasts and limbs and tresses Of this caressed suave sorceress's That raves and rests in wildernesses {152} Whose giant gifts are strength that scars Her soul and lifts her to the stars, Savage, and tenderness that tunes Her spirit's splendour to the moon's, And music of passion to outrun The fiery fashion of the sun. Hush! there's a stir not mine amid the groves, A foot divine that yet is not like love's. Hush! let me furl my forehead! I'll be gone To flicker and curl above great Babylon. ["The Gate of the Garden opens." THE LADY PSYCHE "advances and makes way for" THE KING OF BABYLON. "He is attended by many companies of warriors in armour of burnished silver and gold, with swords, spears, and shields. These take up position at the back of the stage, in perfect silence of foot as of throat."] [THE LADY PSYCHE "remains standing by the gate;" THE KING OF BABYLON advances with infinite stealth, dignity, slowness, and power, toward the couch."] PSYCHE. Life? Is it life? What hour of fate is on the bell? Of this supreme ordeal what issue? Heaven or hell? I am stripped of all my power now when I need it most; I am empty and unreal, a shadow or a ghost. All the great stake is thrown, even now the dice are falling. All deeds are locked in links, one to another calling {153} Through time: from the dim throne the first rune that was ree'd By God, the supreme Sphinx, determined the last deed. [THE KING OF BABYLON "reaches forth his hand and arm. It is the hand and arm of a skeleton. He touches the forehead of the sleeping lord. Instantly, radiant and naked, a male figure is seen erect."] PSYCHE. Adonis! ADONIS. Psyche! ["They run together and embrace." PSYCHE. Ah! long-lost! ADONIS. My wife! Light, O intolerable! Infinite love! O life Beyond death! PSYCHE. I have found thee! ADONIS. I was thine. PSYCHE. I thine From all the ages! ADONIS. To the ages! PSYCHE. Mine! ["The" KING "passes over and departs." "Chorus of Soldiers" Hail to the Lord! Without a spear, without a sword He hath smitten, he hath smitten, one stroke of his Worth all our weaponed puissiances. There is no helm, no hauberk, no cuirass, No shield of sevenfold steel and sevenfold brass {154} Resists his touch; no sword, no spear but shivers Before his glance. Eternally life quivers And reels before him; death itself, the hound of God, Slinks at his heel, and licks the dust that he hath trod. ["They follow their Lord, singing." PSYCHE. I am a dewdrop focussing the sun That fires the forest to the horizon. I am a cloud on whom the sun begets The iris arch, a fountain in whose jets Throbs inner fire of the earth's heart, a flower Slain by the sweetness of the summer shower. ADONIS. I am myself, knowing I am thou. Forgetfulness forgotten now! Truth, truth primeval, truth eternal, Unconditioned, sempiternal, Sets the God within the shrine And my mouth on thine, on thine. [THE LADY ASTARTE "wakes. In her arms is the corpse of the" LORD ESARHADDON.] ASTARTE. O fearful dreams! Awake and kiss me! Awake! I thought I was crushed and strangled by a snake. ["She rises. The corpse falls." He is dead! He is dead! O lips of burning bloom, You are ashen. ["The jaw falls." The black laughter of the tomb! Then let me kill myself! Bring death distilled From nightshade, monkshood. Let no dawn regild this night. Let me not see the damned light Of day, but drown in this black-hearted night! Ho, slaves! [ADONIS "and" PSYCHE "advance to her." {155} ADONIS. Thyself a slave! What curse (unbated Till patient earth herself is nauseated) Is worse than this, an handmaiden that creeps Into her mistress' bed while her lord sleeps, And robs her? ASTARTE. And what worse calamity Than his revenge? But leave me, let me die! ["She falls prone at their feet." PSYCHE. Add robbery to robbery! We need thee To serve us. Let us raise thee up and feed thee, Comfort and cherish thee until the end, Less slave than child, less servitor than friend. ADONIS. Rise! let the breath flow, let the lips affirm Fealty and love. To the appointed term Within thy garden as beloved guests Of thine, let us abide. Now lips and breasts Touching, three bodies and one soul, the triple troth Confirm. PSYCHE. The great indissoluble oath! ASTARTE. Lift me! ["They raise her; all embrace." By him that ever reigns upon The throne, and wears the crown, of Babylon, I serve, and love. PSYCHE. This kiss confirm it! ADONIS. This! ASTARTE. I have gained all in losing all. Now kiss Once more with arms linked! ADONIS. The dawn breaks! ASTARTE. Behold Love's blush! {156} PSYCHE. Light's breaking! ADONIS. Life's great globe of gold! ASTARTE. Come! let us break our fast. PSYCHE. My long fast's broken. ADONIS. Let us talk of love. PSYCHE. Love's first-last word is spoken. ADONIS. Nay! but the tides of trouble are transcended. The word's begun, but never shall be ended. And through the sun forsake the maiden east, Life be for us a never-fading feast. ["They go towards the house, singing." ALL. The Crown of our life is our love, The crown of our love is the light That rules all the region above The night and the stars of the night; That rules all the region aright, The abyss to abysses above; For the crown of our love is the light, And the crown of our light is our love. {157} THE GHOULS CROQUIS DE CROQUE-MITAINE PAR ALEISTER CROWLEY "To Gwendolen Otter" {159} PERSONS OF THE PLAY STANISLAS WASKA, "a virtuoso" FENELLA LOVELL, "his pupil, a gipsy girl" M'PHERSON, "the doctor at Foyers" "An Undertaker" THE M'ALISTER, "laird of Boleskine and heritor of the burying-ground" GEORGE FOSTER, "Fenella's lover" THE GHOULS SCENE I: "A bedroom in the hotel at Foyers. A large open window gives on Loch Ness and Meallfavournie, ablaze in the sun. In the bed lies Waska, propped with pillows, his face a ghastly ochre. He is absolutely bald and hairless; all his teeth are gone but the unnaturally long fangs of his canines. By the bed are medicine-bottles on a small table, and on the bed close to his hands, which lie like claws upon the sheets, is his violin-case. "Over him bends the doctor, a red, burly Scot. By the window stands Fenella, fantastically dressed in red, yellow, and blue, her black hair wreathed with flowers. She is slight, thin, with very short skirts, her spider legs encased in pale blue stockings. Her golden shoes with their exaggerated heels have paste buckles. In her pale face her round black eyes blaze. She is roughed and powered; her thin lips are painted heavily. Her shoulder-bones stare from her low-necked dress, and a diamond dog-collar clasps her shining throat. She is about seventeen years old. She is standing by a pot of blue china containing a hydrangea, tearing at the blossoms in her nervousness." THE DOCTOR ["rising and addressing her"]. There is very little likelihood of his regaining consciousness. {161} FENELLA. He's done for, then? M'PHERSON. Both lungs gone. I don't know how he's lived this last month. FENELLA. Oh, he's a tough one. ["Lowering her voice."] You know, they say he's sold his soul to the devil. M'PHERSON. If he has, the bill's overdue. FENELLA. When will he die? M'PHERSON. One can't say exactly. Maybe an hour, maybe less. Or he might last till morning. FENELLA. How can I tell? M'PHERSON. You can't tell. I'll look in again in an hour. I'm off the the laird's; his leddy's near her time. I'll look in as I pass. FENELLA. All right. I'll wire for the undertaker to come down from Inverness by the afternoon boat. M'PHERSON. But, Good God! the man isn't dead. FENELLA. But you say he will be by morning! M'PHERSON. Anyhow you needn't trouble. He's in the hotel now; he came down this morning for old Mrs Fraser of Stratherrick. FENELLA. All right. I'll talk to him. ["The doctor goes."] In an hour's time, then. I hope you'll have something more definite to say -- why can't I get into the sunshine? I haven't been out for three days. M'PHERSON ["at the door"]. Well, you wouldn't have a nurse. FENELLA. No, I wouldn't. He's my master: I'll never leave him till he's dead. How do I know what she'd do? M'PHERSON. In an hour then. Good day. ["He goes out and closes door." {162} FENELLA ["crying after him"]. Send that undertaker up if you see him! ["Alone, walking up and down the room nervously."] I wish I dared touch the Strad! But he's not dead yet. I could finish him if I knew how. FENELLA. ["Goes to window, and whistles. An answering whistle." FENELLA "leans out."] It's all right, George, I hope. The doctor says it will be over in an hour, or at latest, by morning. You shall lie in my arms all night. I'll drive you mad. I'll play on the Strad at last. You shall die, dear. Do you love me? ... Yes, I know. O! I can see it in your eyes. To-night, then. Or to-morrow and for ever! Will you take me to Paris? I should like to live on Montmartre, and set the city on fire while I played, as Nero did. What an orchestra, the roaring flames! WASKA ["sitting up in bed"]. What the devil are you doing, Fenella? Who are you talking to? FENELLA. I was talking to myself, master. You haven't been very good company, lately. WASKA. Ah, you spiteful little beast! If you'd been kind to me I would never have been ill. FENELLA. I've nursed you. WASKA. You've stolen my life, damn you, you vampire! FENELLA. Rubbish! WASKA. Yes; but I've been with the devil. FENELLA. What's that? WASKA. He's given me back my youth and strength. FENELLA. For what price? What have you to give? WASKA. Ah yes! I sold my soul for my art. I am to play duets with Paganini in hell. But I've a new trick. I'm to {163} have you for fifty years, and to find new ways to torture your soul for his pleasure. FENELLA. You devil! But I'm Christ's; you can't touch me. I'm a virgin! I'm a virgin! He'll save me from you. WASKA. U! Hu! Hu! you Christ's! I spit! FENELLA. Yes; you shall roast; I can see your flesh burning and blackening, and smell the stink of it. For ever! For ever! Ha! Ha! Ha! WASKA. Ah! I've my strength back. You shall come to my bed to-night, Fenella. FENELLA. Faugh! WASKA. I've the power at last. You ungrateful little wildcat! Didn't I pick you out of the gutter, and care for you like my own flesh and blood? Didn't I dress you fine, and teach you to dance and play? FENELLA. You never let me touch the Strad. WASKA. No; and you never shall. It's the devil's Strad; you shan't touch it. Now, dance for me! FENELLA. I won't. WASKA. You will. If you don't I'll put a curse on you! I'll twist your spider-legs with rheumatism! FENELLA. All right: I'll dance. ["She dances lightly and gracefully for him. He claps his hands for the time."] WASKA. Bravo! Bravo! But put passion into it. You've got to love me now. FENELLA. Love you! Love a corpse! Love a wrinkled, haggard, toothless old wolf. Filth! Filth! If you had sense enough to know what your own bed was like --- this last month. {164} WASKA. You'll sleep in it to-night. I'll get a child on you to-night! An imp! A monster! A thing with horns and hoofs! FENELLA. You'll die to-night! Your pact's up. Die, stink, rot, you rag! And all the sulphur of hell will never fumigate your soul. WASKA. I'll beat you for this. Bring me the whip! FENELLA. Your dog-whip days are done. ["She finds the whip."] Take that! ["She lashes him across the face. No blood follows the blow."] See! you've no strength. ["She gives him a little push. He falls back on the pillow, gasping."] WASKA. Now hear me curse you! ["A knock at the door." FENELLA ["excitedly"]. Come in! ["The undertaker, hat in hand, comes cringing in." UNDERTAKER. Good evening, miss. I heard you were wanting to see me. FENELLA. Yes, measure this corpse. UNDERTAKER. Why, miss, the man's not dead. FENELLA. He will be to-night. UNDERTAKER. I'll come again, miss, when I hear from the doctor. ["He turns to go." WASKA ["rising"]. Yes! it's true, you! But mark me, you can make no boards tough enough nor clamps of steel to hold me! There's no grave deep enough to bury me, no earth that will lie on me. I'm the devil's fiddler, Mr Undertaker! Now am I afraid, or are you? UNDERTAKER. I see he's not in his right mind, miss. Consumptives is often like that at the last. ["He goes out." WASKA. It's true, Fenella, I'm dying. I lied to you. {165} Now come here! D'ye see, I'm tired of my bargain. I'm afraid of hell. Look you, here's my plan. You'll bury the Strad with me, and maybe, when the trumpet sounds, if I play the "Messiah," Christ'll hear me, and take me up to heaven. There's not many fiddlers like me either in heaven or on earth. Paganini's in hell; you can hear it in his music; he's writhing and roasting in hell, I say. Shouldn't that be enough for Master Satan? FENELLA. I don't care where you are, so long as you're out of here. The Strad's mine, you promised it to me. You swore it on the holy cross! WASKA. Only if you slept with me. I'm not to be cheated. I'm not the one to give something for nothing, damn you for a greedy, heartless wench. FENELLA. Damn you! Before you're cold I'll play your dirge on it; and it shall sound like a wedding march. WASKA. Oh no! you won't! Come closer! ["She obeys."] Here, you've never seen this. ["He takes a little wooden cross from under the pillow."] It's the wood of the True Cross! Now swear, or I'll curse you! Take it in your hand! Say it after me. ["She takes the cross and repeats the oath after him." I, Fenella Lovell, the gipsy, swear by my soul's salvation and by the blessed wood of the holy rood, to bury my master's violin with him --- don't falter, damn you! --- and if I don't, may Christ spit me out, Christ spit me out, and may I fall into hell and be roasted for ever by devils with pitchforks, Amen! And on earth may my hair fall out, and my eyes rot in my head, and the lupus eat my nose, and the cancer eat {166} my tongue, and my throat be twisted, and my lungs wither away, and my heart be torn out, and my liver be earthen by worms, and my bowels be thrown to the dogs. May my skin be white with the leprosy, and my blood corrupted with the plague, and my bones rotted with the pox; so hear me, blessed Christ, Amen! [FENELLA "falls fainting." She won't dare now! ["A knock at the door." M'PHERSON "follows it." Now, doctor, I'm your man! ["He falls back on the pillows. The doctor rushes forward, and makes his examination."] M'PHERSON. Dead this time, and no error! Come, Miss Lovell, bear up! ["He lifts" FENELLA. FENELLA. Dead, did you say? M'PHERSON. I'm sorry to say so. FENELLA. O, if it had only come ten minutes earlier! ... Go! Leave me! Send the people to do what must be done! M'PHERSON. I'm thinking you'd be the better for a doze of physic yourself. FENELLA. Do you think the priest can take off dead men's curses? M'PHERSON. I'm afraid that's hardly in my line. But I'll send for a priest from Fort Augustus. I suppose he was a Catholic? FENELLA. He was a devil from hell. Oh go! Go! Leave me to horror and to fear. I could kiss death: it's life I shrink from. Go! Please go! M'PHERSON. It's the kindest thing I can do. But I'll look in later. FENELLA. Bury it with him! Oh, if I dared once touch it, {167} I'd dare steal it. But I can't It's too horrible. They say there are folk who don't fear curses. If I could sell my soul as he did --- but how shall I get the devil to hear me? There's a way. But I don't know it. Bury it with him? And --- oh! blessed god! thou hast saved me --- I see! I see! ["She runs to the window." George! George! He's dead --- come up! I've something to tell you. Quick! ["She dances to the door and impatiently flings it open." GEORGE FOSTER "comes running up the stairs. He is a sturdy youth with a fat face, long blonde hair, and dull eyes. She throws her arms round him and covers him with kisses and bites."] GEORGE. Don't Fenella darling! You hurt! FENELLA. The old devil's done for. I'm yours! And the Strad's mine, if you're brave! Oh! kiss me! kiss me! kiss me! GEORGE. Ought we to make love when he's lying dead? FENELLA. Oh, your oughts! Did your nurse never tell you that ought stands for nothing? GEORGE. Anyhow, I don't like it FENELLA. He's dead! Can a dead man see and hear? Look! I spit in the filthy face --- does he whip me as he used, and curse me? Ah, but he cursed me! And that's where you must help. GEORGE. I'll help you in anything. FENELLA. It's a dreadful thing! But you can win me! GEORGE. I won you long ago. FENELLA. Not that much! ["She flicks her fingers."] But if you'll get the Strad for me, I'm yours for ever! {168} GEORGE. Then we'll take it. FENELLA. O! but I've sworn to bury it with him. GEORGE. Get the priest to absolve you. I suppose he forced you to swear. FENELLA. Oh no! I swore it on the wood of the True Cross. But I didn't swear not to get it afterwards! GEORGE. Get it afterwards? FENELLA. Yes; dig him up and take it! GEORGE. O! I couldn't. It's too horrible. You mustn't ask me to do a thing like that. FENELLA. Well, then, I'll get someone else. GEORGE. No! I'll do it. FENELLA. Swear to me! GEORGE. By the body of Christ, I'll do it. FENELLA. Then kiss me! Come, where he can see us! GEORGE. He can't see us. He's dead. FENELLA. His soul can see. GEORGE. Those filthy eyes of his glare like a devil's still. FENELLA. Kiss me! Then we'll put pennies on them. ["She does so."] That horrible dropped jaw looks as if he were laughing. He used always to laugh hollow, like curses ringing and echoing in the dome of hell. GEORGE. Let's tie it up with a handkerchief! ["A knock." FENELLA. Come in! ["Enter the" UNDERTAKER "as before." UNDERTAKER. Pardon, miss, the doctor told me as how the angel'ad passed. FENELLA. Yes: he's dead. Measure him. That violin has to be buried with him. He was always afraid of being buried alive; make a very thin shell, so that it can be opened easily. {169} UNDERTAKER. Right, miss. I'll finish it with short nails. If he was to struggle, it'd come open easy. FENELLA. Just what I want. UNDERTAKER. Pardon, miss, but I hope he died easy. FENELLA. It's never very difficult, is it? I think there are only three people in history who failed at it. UNDERTAKER. O, miss, I meant right with his Maker. FENELLA. He was a good Catholic, and believed in the resurrection of the body. So do I. Now we'll leave you to your work. ["She takes" GEORGE'S "arm, and runs off with him down stairs."] UNDERTAKER. A precious old 'un, and by the looks of him a precious bad 'un. CURTAIN. {170} SCENE II: "The Burying-ground at Boleskine. It is very ancient; the walls are lined with tombs whose tablets have been scarred by bullets. At the back, in mid-stage, is a little tower with a window, intended for a watcher in the days when body-snatching was common. There are many tombs and stones; bones lie here and there, for the digging of every fresh grave disinters several dead." "It is entered by a wooden grate between square stone pillars on the left, near front of stage. It being the height of summer in the northern Highlands, it is fairly light, although cloudy and moonless." "Near the centre is the fresh tomb of Stanislas Waska, loose earth piled into a mound. The foot of the mound faces the footlights. The gate is opened by" FENELLA, "fearfully advancing, followed by" GEORGE "with a spade." "They tip-toe in silence to the new grave, then stop and listen." FENELLA. All right. Get along. Every second increases the danger. GEORGE. I'll work; you listen. ["He sets to work to shovel away the loose earth." FENELLA. I can hear half way to Foyers on the road. GEORGE. Yes; you have perfect ears. FENELLA. No nonsense now. Don't strike the spade in like that; you'll wake the country. ["The howl of a bull-dog, exactly like the crying of a child, is heard far off."] GEORGE. All right. It's only that damned dog of M'Alister's. He does it every night. FENELLA. He sees the ghost of old Lord Lovat. {171} GEORGE. Old Lord Lovat? FENELLA. Yes; they beheaded him after the '45. He rolls his head up and down the corridors. GEORGE. Pleasant pastime! FENELLA. What else is a man to do? GEORGE. What's that tapping? ["He stops to listen." FENELLA. Go on! It's only the old woman. GEORGE. What old woman? FENELLA. Her son was a lunatic. They let him out cured, as they thought. His mother came up here with him to lay flowers on his father's grave; and he caught her legs and smashed her brains against the wall. GEORGE. Oh damn it! FENELLA. You baby! So ever since she comes from time to time to try and pick her brains off the wall. GEORGE. I'm damned if I like this job. Here, hang the fiddle; let's get out. FENELLA. The last you'll see of me if you do. There, you're nearly through with the first bit. Hullo! there's a cart. GEORGE. By God, yes. It's coming this way. FENELLA. They're bound to see us. Come along; we'll hide in the lookout. ["They go up stage and enter the narrow door of the tower. The noise of the cart increases. By and by one distinguishes two drunken voices singing" "We are na fou'." "They grow very loud and die away again." ["Re-enter" FENELLA "and" GEORGE. GEORGE. That's better. I don't mind carts and Scotchmen. It's your ghosts I'm afraid of. FENELLA. Get on, then! ["He sets to work again." {172} FENELLA. ["sings in a low voice"] --- The ghost is chilly in his shroud: --- Laugh aloud! Laugh aloud! His bones are rattling in the wind; His teeth are chattering with the cold; For he is dead, and out of mind, And oh! so cold! He walks and walks and wraps his shroud [Laugh aloud! Laugh aloud!) Around his bones. He shivers and glares, For hell is in his heart stone-cold --- What is the use of spells and prayers To one so cold? The dogs howl when they scent his shroud. Laugh aloud! Laugh aloud! The village lads and lasses feel A breath of bitter wind and cold Blow from those bones of ice and steel So cold! So cold! GEORGE. My God, Fenella, I think you want to drive me mad. FENELLA. Not here, dear. Come, there's nobody about. You may kiss me, for there's the wood of the coffin. GEORGE. O don't let us lose time! FENELLA. No! I'll keep time. ["She dances fantastically to the rhythm of his shovelling."] {173} GEORGE. Don't. You've got all my nerves on edge. What's that? ["He starts violently." FENELLA. A nerve, I suppose. Come now. I'll take this end. ["They lift out the coffin. She produces a chisel." And now to crack the nut! Good old undertaker! He's done his job beautifully. ["The lid of the coffin comes off; they set it aside." GEORGE. And there's the Strad for my darling! ["He gives her the violin, and kisses her." FENELLA. Ah! my beauty, my beauty! Mine at last. Don't kiss me, you fool! It's the Strad that I love, not you. Put the lid back quick! We'll be off! GEORGE. So that's the thanks I get, curse you, it is? I've a jolly good mind to smash the beastly thing. FENELLA. You dare! Don't be a fool, George! All my love when we're back safely. Take the lid! ["A whistle is heard, off." ... Oh, my God! ... ["A cry off: "Heel, Shiva, heel!" GEORGE. It's the M'Alister with his cursed bloodhounds! What does he want at this time o'night? FENELLA. Oh, he's mad as a March Hare! GEORGE. He's the heritor of the graveyard. If he comes, we're done for! Oh God! Oh God! What shall we do? FENELLA. Do? Why, tell him the whole story. He's a good chap and an artist. He'll understand that you can't bury the third best Strad in the world! And, besides, I'll make love to him. GEORGE. You treacherous whore! {174} FENELLA. Always a gentleman! I tell you what, my friend. I'm my own mistress now, and tired of being yours. GEORGE. I wish I'd cut my hand off rather than helped you. FENELLA. Cut your stupidity off, and your talk. Here's the laird on the road now. [THE M'ALISTER "appears leaning on the fence." THE M'ALISTER. Hullo! what are you doing in my graveyard, young lady? FENELLA. Digging up a corpse. ... Why, it's the M'Alister! THE M'ALISTER. Yes. Isn't that Miss Lovell? Fine night, isn't it? I suppose you don't want any help? All right. GEORGE. O thank you, sir. Thank you, sir. FENELLA. Never mind my poor friend: he's not used to this sort of thing --- shut up, will you, you fool! May I come up to tea to-morrow? THE M'ALISTER. Oh, come to lunch, and we'll try for a rabbit afterwards. Good night! One o'clock. Er --- this ghoul act, you know! I should hurry over the meal; there may be all sorts of asses about. FENELLA. Thanks so much. Good night. Get on, George. [THE M'ALISTER "goes off." You idiot! You nearly spoilt everything. GEORGE. It's all right. FENELLA. Yes, no thanks to you! Get on with the work. ["Loud laughter, off, distant." Lord, there's fools abroad! Workmen from Foyers, I should think. ["Points off," L.] And, yes, there's folk from {175} Inverfarigaig, too. ["Points off," R.] I can hear them talking --- religion, of all things! GEORGE. We're caught like rats in a trap! Let's get into the tower! FENELLA. And leave the body there? We've no time. Blessed Saints of God! I have it. What a fool you are! They're not fond of the road just here, the best of times. Ill try the first kisses of my beauty ["She reaches for the violin"]. --- if that doesn't frighten them, I'm a Dutchman! GEORGE. Oh how clever you are! FENELLA. Even if they come and see us, they'll think we're devils. GEORGE. So you are, Fenella! ["She has taken the violin from its case an begins to play. In a few moments two bearded men enter" R. "and look over the wall."] THE MEN. Lord, save us! ["They flee in terror." FENELLA. Saved! The only thing now is the Foyers men: they may be too drunk to be afraid! ["She plays again, a wilder melody. Both she and" GEORGE "lose themselves in the beauty of the music." STANISLAS WASKA "suddenly sits up in his coffin, and tears off the wrappings. A horrible grin distorts his face, and with a choking roar he leaps at" GEORGE, "catching him by the throat."] WASKA. Go on, Fenella! You were worthy of the Strad, after all. ["She shrieks and drops the fiddle." GEORGE "goes limp, strangled."] I've killed your lover, my fine virgin. I heard every word {176} you said, I watched every filthy kiss till you put the pennies on my eyes. The devil told the truth after all. [FENELLA, "breaking from her stupor, starts to flee," WASKA "stumbles to his feet, roaring, and chases her among the tombs. She trips and falls. He catches her up and carries her to the tower. They disappear."] Stop your shrieking, harlot! You'll only drive the folk away! Ah! we'll have a fine new story of Boleskine graveyard. Satan! Satan! Satan! I thank thee! Thou hast kept thy word and I'll keep mine! Satan! Satan! Satan! Oh, the bliss! Fenella, mine, mine! Fenella! ["He thrusts the corpse of" FENELLA "half through the window, where it hangs limp."] Mine she was, by God, though I'm dead this hour! ["He comes out, staggering, falls over a mound, crawls on hands and knees to his grave."] Satan! what a morsel! what a bonne bouche! What a savoury to wind up life's feast! Well, here's my coffin. There's no place like home. I must play my own dirge. ["He seats himself in it." ["He takes the violin, and plays a dirge." This time it's the real thing. No play, no pay. I've had my fun, and here's the price of it. ["He plays again." And now Good night. ["Clasping the fiddle to his breast, he lies down in the coffin. Silence; then the death-rattle." WASKA "half rises, and falls dead. A pause."] ["Enter" THE M'ALISTER, "at the gate." {177} THE M'ALISTER. Too much shrieking and fiddling from my pretty little ghoul. I wonder what's happened. ["He enters the graveyard, and approaches the grave." Nobody here! Who's that? ["Bends over the corpse of" GEORGE, "and examines it." Why, you're dead, my poor, putrid poopstick. Died of too much brains --- I don't think. ["Goes up stage to tower." Good God! Fenella! What are you doing there? ["He takes her hand." Dead, too. Died of too much --- temperament, I'm betting. Well, there's nothing alive here but the fiddle. I'll follow my usual rule and obey the Scriptural injunction to let the dead bury their dead. But I'm heritor of this graveyard, and I think I'll inherit this fiddle. ["He packs it into its case, tucks it under his arm, and goes out."] All right, Shiva! Nothing the matter! Home, boy! ["He starts to whistle a jig." CURTAIN. {178} THE FOUR WINDS THE South wind said to the palms: My lovers sing me psalms; But are they as warm as those That Laylah's lover knows> The North wind said to the firs: I have my worshippers; But are they as keen as hers? The East wind said to the cedars: My friends are no seceders; But is their faith to me As firm as his faith must be? The West wind said to the yews: My children are pure as dews; But what of her lover's muse? So to spite the summer weather The four winds howled together. But a great Voice from above Cried: What do you know of love? Do you think all nature worth The littlest life upon earth? {179} I made the germ and the ant, The tiger and elephant. In the least of these there is more Than your elemental war. And the lovers whom ye slight Are precious in my sight. Peace to your mischief-brewing! I love to watch their wooing. Of all this Laylah heard Never a word. She lay beneath the trees With her lover at her knees. He sang of God above And of love. She lay at his side Well satisfied, And at set of sun They were one. Before they slept her pure smile curled; "God bless all lovers in the World!" And so say I the self-same word; Nor doubt God heard. {180} INDEPENDENCE COME to my arms --- is it eve? is it morn? Is Apollo awake? Is Diana reborn? Are the streams in full song? Do the woods whisper hush Is it the nightingale? Is it the thrush? Is it the smile of the autumn, the blush Of the spring? Is the world full of peace or alarms? Come to my arms, Laylah, come to my arms! Come to my arms, though the hurricane blow. Thunder and summer, or winter and snow, It is one to us, one, while our spirits are curled In the crimson caress: we are fond, we are furled Like lilies away from the war of the world. Are there spells beyond ours? Are there alien charms? Come to my arms, Laylah, come to my arms! Come to my arms! is it life? is it death? Is not all immortality born of your breath? Are not heaven and hell but as handmaids of yours Who are all that enflames, who are all that allures, Who are all that destroys, who are all that endures? I am yours, do I care if it heals me or harms? Come to my arms, Laylah, come to my arms! [181} SNOWSTORM A TRAGEDY BY ALEISTER CROWLEY. {183} PERSONS REPRESENTED IN THE PROLOGUE HERMANN, "an Old Woodcutter" GRIZEL, "his Wife" DANIEL, "Groom in the stables of" ERIK, "Prince of Fiordland" SNOWSTORM PROLOGUE "The scene represents the cottage of the woodcutter. It is surrounded by an infinity of pine trees, giving an impression of great dreariness and monotony. The cottage, on the contrary, is extremely cheerful, almost gay. Loving care has been employed to decorate it and to keep it excellently tidy. There is only a very small clearing about the cottage, and a natural path through the wood." "The daylight is slowly fading throughout the scene.: "Enter by the path the woodcutter and his wife, whose names are" HERMANN "and" GRIZEL. "They carry heavy loads of wood." HERMANN. Terrible hard times. The days and the ways get longer, and the wood harder to cut, and harder to sell. GRIZEL. Ay. but the fowls do well. And they do say the Prince may come to the lodge again soon. HERMANN. For a day or two. What's that? GRIZEL. And then there's always George. HERMANN. Yes; he's head waiter now. GRIZEL. I mistrusted the lad's going to the big town. Terrible dangerous are those cities for an honest boy. {185} HERMANN. Oh! he's a good lad. He's doing well. GRIZEL. He will soon have a beer-house of his own. HERMANN. Ah! that's as may be. ["They throw down their wood by the door of the cottage." GRIZEL. He's our own good lad. ["She goes in and busies herself with the fire, etc." HERMANN. What's for supper to-night, lass? GRIZEL. Peas and bacon. And some of the beer George sent us. HERMANN. Good! Good! .... It's a hard life, lass, woodcutting. Do you mind the day we wed? GRIZEL. Nigh thirty years ago. Ye were going to be the Prince's Forester, I mind. HERMANN. Ah, youth! Life is harder than our dreams tell us. GRIZEL. That's you men. You must always be dreaming. Cowards, I call you. HERMANN. No, lass, I see the hardness of life just as much as you do. There's only one thing good enough to take us through it. And that's love. GRIZEL. Ay, lad. HERMANN. We've never fallen out, lass? GRIZEL. I mind the first day ye laid the shaft of the big axe to my back. HERMANN. Summer lightning, lass. I gave ye no more than ye deserved. GRIZEL. Ah! HERMANN. To dance with a low blacksmith! Damn ye, ye were aye a forward wench. {186} GRIZEL. And what of the fair at Stormwald last month? ["She lights the lamp in the cottage." HERMANN. Ay, in Stormwald the girls are fine. GRIZEL. If I did clout ye with the fire-shovel, ye deserved it. HERMANN. No harm, lass, no harm if the girls of Stormwald know a proper man. GRIZEL. Bah! ye white-headed old sinner. Do ye think I'm afraid of them? And you no better than ("she comes out of the cottage") this old bundle of wood. Drybones! HERMANN. We've been happy, lass. ["She sits on the bundle of wood by his side." GRIZEL. Ay, lad, love's all in life. HERMANN. It's something to look back on, now that the twilight gathers. GRIZEL. With you, lad, I don't fear the dark. HERMANN. George is a fine boy. GRIZEL. If only Gretel had not died. HERMANN. God knows best, dear lass! GRIZEL. Ay, God knows best. But I wish he wouldn't interfere. HERMANN. Lass! Lass! GRIZEL. Ye don't understand. A man's aye ready with his God. A wife cares naught for God or for her man, but only for her bairns. [HERMANN "is beginning to weep." It's good you can weep still. You had a true heart, a woman's heart. Ye old fool! ["She brushes away her own tears." HERMANN. Always my own goodwife! Hark! There's a horse in the forest. {187} GRIZEL. Some fool of a forester. HERMANN. A forester wouldn't come here at this time o'night. GRIZEL. Here he is, whoever it is. ["A voice off. "Hillo---ho! Goodman woodcutter, do you live underground?"] HERMANN ("calling"). Take the path to your left. Tie up your horse at the turning. GRIZEL. What did I tell you? The prince is coming to the lodge and we shall sell all our wood! HERMANN. I hope we may. ... Here he comes. You're right, maybe. It's the prince's livery. ["Enter" DANIEL. DANIEL. Tum-ti-um-ti-um-tum! Good day and be damned to you, goodman! HERMANN. Fine day, sir. What d'ye want? DANIEL. Logs, wooden-head! Great, fat, roaring pine-logs, oozing with sap! Logs, by God, and ho! for the bonny winter! HERMANN. Ay! so the Prince is come hunting. DANIEL. No, you old rascal. Mind your own business! Do you think I am the trusted confident of His Highness through blabbing his affairs? HERMANN. Beg pardon, Excellency! I mistook your Excellency for that damned, cheating groom, Daniel. DANIEL. You old ruffian! Well, shut your head, and bring the logs up. HERMANN. When? DANIEL. Now. HERMANN. All right. ("Calls.") Wife, shoulder the biggest bundle of logs up to the lodge. {188} GRIZEL ("within"). all right. HERMANN. And what's the news of the court? DANIEL. Nothing beyond the usual, goodman. The Princess is so-so---so- so. The Duke left last week. We've been dull, dull. HERMANN. And what's the madcap Prince been up to? DANIEL. Our good Prince is busied as ever with the high cares of the Fatherland. GRIZEL. Nasty, tricky, little beast, I think I do! Always after the girls. DANIEL. Insolent woman! His Highness is devoted as ever to the Princess Maud. GRIZEL. None of your theatre girls, all legs, oh no! HERMANN. Hold your scolding tongue, woman! Get the gentleman a glass of beer! ["She puts down the load and goes in." DANIEL. Thanks, good man. Well, between ourselves, man and man, I don't mind telling you, there's a fair old how-d'ye-do. HERMANN. Ah! I thought that now. DANIEL. A real jamboree! A good old buster! HERMANN. Ha! Ha! DANIEL. That's really what we're here for. I'm telling you. Oh yes, I'm telling you! Lord God Almighty! It's a rare old jinkytoodleray! HERMANN. Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! DANIEL. Three weeks ago we were on horseback. HERMANN. Ay! DANIEL. Outside the Opera. HERMANN. Ho! {189} DANIEL. In a dark little street off the Axelstrade. HERMANN. Hillo-ho! DANIEL. Masked. HERMANN. Whew! DANIEL. Jee! Armed. HERMANN. Armed! DANIEL. To the teeth. HERMANN. Whew. DANIEL. With a led horse. HERMANN. He! He! DANIEL. And we stopped the carriage of pretty Nerissa Waldlstern, and kidnapped her --- What d'ye think o' that? HERMANN. Ye gay young devils! Well, I've done as much myself in my day. DANIEL. So we dragged her off screaming, and have been keeping out of the way ever since. Oh! I tell you she was a tigress; but he made her love him, somehow. So we're coming back into society. A month's hunting at the Lodge here, for the first step. ["enter" GRIZEL "with the beer. They all drink." HERMANN. And what does the Princess say to it? DANIEL. Haven't heard. But I suppose she's about crazy mad. GRIZEL. So she might be, with her waster of a husband. HERMANN. Oh! he's a good Prince. But perhaps his wife's a Tartar like some I know! DANIEL. Here, none of your insolence to their Highnesses! Thanks, goodman, I'll be off. Hurry up to the lodge with those logs! ["Goes off." {190} HERMANN. Ay! I'll load the mule now! GRIZEL. What mule d'ye mean? HERMANN. The cross-tempered, two-legged beast! ["He picks up bundle and puts it on her back. She drops it, and, catching up a faggot, belabours him. He ultimately gets it from her, and returns her blows. During the fight they interchange compliments."] HERMANN. Old scarecrow! GRIZEL. Cross-eyed satyr! HERMANN. Wizened witch! GRIZEL. Pig-dog! HERMANN. Humped old sow! GRIZEL. I'll make ye grin the other side of your face, ye monkey! HERMANN. Black-faced old scavenger! GRIZEL. Pot-bellied beerswiller! HERMANN. Ye blasted lying old whore! Take that! GRIZEL. Dirty bastard! White-headed old crocodile! ["Both being out out of breath, they sit down and begin to cry." HERMANN. I meant no harm, wife, but you angered me. GRIZEL. Ay! it's always my fault. HERMANN. No, lass. It was that filthy fellow from the lodge that came between us. GRIZEL. The breath of a Court is ruin to simple happiness. HERMANN. Well, kiss, lass! {191} GRIZEL. There, lad! ["They kiss." And now, we'd better get the wood up to the lodge. ["They each shoulder a bundle and move amicably off." And now, what was he telling you about the Prince? HERMANN. Ah! that's a State secret! ["At the corner of path." GRIZEL. Well, you'll have to tell me! ["Exeunt." {192} PERSONS REPRESENTED IN ACT I ERIK, "Prince of Fiordland" MAUD, "his wife" NERISSA, "a Violinist" HEINDRIK, "a Captain of Infantry, attached to the person of the Princess" FOUR OFFICERS, "junior to Heindrick" GUSTAVE, "Confidential Servant to Erik" DANIEL, "a Groom to Erik" ACT I WINTER "A northern country. A lodge in the forest. There is a glass outbuilding, luxuriously furnished and decorated. A dining-table with two chairs. Two lounge chairs and a smaller table." PRINCE ERIC "and" NERISSA "have just finished dinner, and are chatting inaudibly, leaning across the table. He kisses her." "The Steward" GUSTAVE "enters with coffee and liqueurs which he places on the small table. He goes out." "The" PRINCE "takes" NERISSA "under his arm to the lounge chairs. On the way they pass the door, go into the garden, look up at the sky, and shiver." ERIK. Snow to-night, snow-maiden! NERISSA. Yes. {193} ERIK. But ... ["He points to the house." NERISSA. Yes. ["She laughs." ERIK. Let us go in. ["He takes her to chairs, where they sit and drink coffee, etc. Enter" L., "an officer in furs," HEINDRICK. "He watches them for a while in silence, makes a sign of warning to someone in the background, and retires discreetly."] [ERIK "touches a bell. Enter" GUSTAVE. ERIK. Put out the big lights. GUSTAVE. Yes, Highness. ["He goes out and does so. In the balcony is only the rosy glow of shaded lamps in the roof."] ["Enter" HEINRIK, L. "This time he beckons to his companions." ["Enter" PRINCESS MAUD. "She is muffled in dark furs. Four officers follow. They are among the pines."] HEINDRIK. Your Highness was perfectly right. MAUD. I cannot see properly. I must see with my own eyes. HEINDRIK. Your Highness should not venture nearer. MAUD. I must see. HEINDRIK. Then let us creep through the pines and watch from behind the fountain. MAUD "with a gesture of haughty disgust"]. Ah-h! ... Lead on. ["They go through the pines and stand watching." MAUD. I cannot see yet. Let us go to the doorway. HEINDRIK. It is dangerous, Highness. MAUD. I am dangerous. ["She goes stealthily forward and kneels at the door, looking through." HEINDRIK "follows her. He has drawn his sword." ERIC "and" NERISSA "are now in each" {194} "other's arms." MAUD "nods and rises; they retire to the fountain."] MAUD. So! I have seen. Is everything prepared? HEINDRIK. Your Highness will find everything in order. ["A baying of great hounds." HEINDRIK. Back, Highness! ["They disappear among the pines, and go off" L. ERIK. The dogs are uneasy to-night. I am uneasy. I am going to finish my cigar in the forest. No; you must not come. My snow-maiden will take cold. ["He kisses her and goes into the house, presently reappearing" C., "with three immense grey boarhounds on leash. He looses them; they scamper about and return at his whistle."] ERIK. Gustave! ["Enter" GUSTAVE C. ERIK "throws the leash to him." GUSTAVE "leashes them and goes off" C. ERIK "goes to window, and watches" NERISSA, "who is lying back half asleep. Then he opens door, and calls."] ERIK. Nerissa! ["She jumps up." NERISSA. Erik! ERIK. Get your fiddle, dewdrop! I want you to play me the "Abendlied." ["She runs into house." ERIK ["sings"]: 'Twas I that found the icicle on the lip of the crevasse: 'Twas I that found the gentian on the mountain pass: 'Twas I that found the fire to melt the maiden of the snow: 'Twas I that plucked the flower --- and I wear it, so! ["Placing his hand on his heart." {195} Nerissa drew the crystal spring from the music wells that slumbered; Nerissa drew my tears till the angels were outnumbered; And I with trapper's forest-lore, and fisher's craft and wiles, Hunted the shy bird of her soul, a secret spring of smiles. ["Snow begins to fall slowly in the garden." The April dawn of love awoke Nerissa's snowy mountain; The sun of passion thawed at last the frozen fountain; And I, who shared a sterile throne, share now a blissful bower --- Nerissa, oh Nerissa! God preserve this hour! ["He sees" NERISSA "has returned and is standing at the door."] ERIK. Go in, child! It is cold. See, the snow is beginning to fall. ["He joins her. They enter. He locks and bolts the door." ERIK "throws himself into a chair."] ERIK. Now, sweetheart, the "Abendlied." [NERISSA "plays. During her performance" HEINDRIK "has again entered stealthily, and watches."] ERIK. And now! ["He takes" NERISSA "into house, and switches off light." HEINDRIK "gives a warning sign to his companions. The light goes up in the room above. Enter" C., GUSTAVE, "advances quietly to fountain, and stands waiting." HEINDRIK "whistles softly."] GUSTAVE. Advance. All is safe. [HEINDRIK "advances. They greet each other, but without shaking hands."] GUSTAVE. Have you the money? HEINDRIK. Here. {196} GUSTAVE. Let me count it. "He presses the spring of an electric torch, and examines the bag which" HEINDRIK "hands to him."] GUSTAVE. A thousand, two, three, four --- no, five, six, seven. Don't be so suspicious, Captain, I shall not run away. Ten. Right. And the gold? Ah, the jolly rouleaux. It is in order. HEINDRIK. The key. GUSTAVE. Here it is. ["Gives it."] And the stuff for the dogs? HEINDRIK. Poor Tiger, and Baresark, and Odin! ["Gives a packet." GUSTAVE. One doesn't make omelettes without breaking eggs. I will be ready for you in ten minutes. HEINDRIK. There are two cars on the road. Yours is the small one. Your passage is taken. That and your passports are with the driver. GUSTAVE. Right. I will see to Daniel and the dogs. Keep out of sight. HEINDRIK. I will wait among the pines. ["He retires." GUSTAVE "returns to house." ["Enter" NERISSA "in her nightdress at window above, with her violin."] ERIK. Well, snow-maiden, are you still angry with me for stealing you? NERISSA. I loved myself. But now I love you. ERIK ["sings"]: O who on the mountain Would tremble and shiver? The spray's on the fountain; The sun's on the river. {197} The fields are ablush, And the valley's alight. Come! let us crush Out the wine of delight! The thaw sends the torrent Its Bacchanal dance; The snows that the thaw rent Glitter and glance. The garden's a wonder Of colour impearled; The spring draws asunder Its woe from the world. Come, O my maiden, Into the woods! the flowers, dew-laden, Shake light from their hoods. Dance to the measure Of Bacchus and Pan Primaeval, the pleasure Of maiden and man! [NERISSA "plays a love-song on her violin, then turns from the window. The light goes out."] ERIK. Nerissa!] ["Enter" GUSTAVE C. "with" DANIEL, "who is leading a horse, saddled."] GUSTAVE. Take this order to the merchant at Stormwald. If you ride back at dawn you will be in plenty of time for your work. {198} DANIEL. Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! GUSTAVE. Ride fast, Daniel. DANIEL. Oh! I shall have to pull the old fellow out of bed. GUSTAVE. Pull his house down, if you like, as long as we have the champagne in time for breakfast. [DANIEL "leaps on the horse and rides off" R. GUSTAVE "waits a minute, then advances to pines" L. HEINDRIK "meets him."] GUSTAVE. All well. HEINDRIK. Be off with you, then. And don't make too much of a splash in Paris with all that money. GUSTAVE. I am not such a fool. And don't you be such a fool as to get slack with that little monthly cheque, you know. HEINDRIK. Don't you be frightened about money. GUSTAVE. You're a bit white. What are "you" frightened of? HEINDRIK. Only ghosts. GUSTAVE. Ah, they walk in your forests. HEINDRIK. We are doing a vile thing. Necessary, as I suppose most vile things are. GUSTAVE. Oh, you have a conscience! Consciences walk in your forests. HEINDRIK. I've a heart as well as a sense of duty. GUSTAVE. Yes, she's a pretty girl. HEINDRIK. And it was never her fault. GUSTAVE. It's never the woman's fault in your forests. O race of sentimentalists! HEINDRIK. He took her as a hound catches a hare. GUSTAVE. In France "Jugged Hare" is a concoction of cat. HEINDRIK. Well, this is not France. France is where you belong, you. {199} GUSTAVE. Good luck to your hunting! HEINDRIK. Good luck! GUSTAVE. I have it quite safe in your little bag. Good-bye, Heindrik. I suppose you despise me. [HEINDRIK "is silent."] Well, you know, you too must wait for histories to be written before you get much praise. HEINDRIK. My duty is clear. I am not asking for praise. GUSTAVE. All my little need is money. HEINDRIK. You have earned thirty pieces of silver. Be off! It is time to act. ["Exit" GUSTAVE, L. "In a moment" HEINDRIK "gives a sign, and" MAUD "and the four officers re-enter from among the pines."] MAUD. Now! HEINDRIK. Highness, your waiting is over. MAUD. At last. This snow! HEINDRIK. It hides our footsteps, Highness. May God's mercy cover our deeds. MAUD. Insolent! This is the second time you have reproached me. A third, and I break you. HEINDRIK. Pardon, Highness! I know my duty, and I shall do it. MAUD. It is I who am wronged, is it not? HEINDRIK. Ah, Highness, forgive me! I am your Highness's faithful servant. But --- do we wipe out one wrong by doing another? MAUD. It is right, what we do, by the law of God and man. HEINDRIK. Then why do I feel it to be wrong? MAUD. You are a weak fool. Do you duty! HEINDRIK. I obey, Highness. {200} MAUD. Without another word. HEINDRIK. I obey, Highness. To the death. [HEINDRIK "and other officers go out" C. MAUD "paces the ground impatiently. The light go up, above; there is a sound of oaths and scuffling, and a scream."] MAUD. Ah! Ah! ["raising her voice"]. Is it done? HEINDRIK ["opens the window wide"]. We have the prisoners, Highness. MAUD. Bring the girl here to me. HEINDRIK. Yes, Highness. ["He reappears" C. "with" NERISSA, "who wears a cloak." MAUD. Did I tell you to cloak her? HEINDRIK ["represses his speech"]. No, Highness. MAUD. Take it off. [HEINDRIK "hesitates." NERISSA "advances, and flings her cloak upon the ground at" MAUD'S "feet. She is again in her nightdress."] MAUD. You wretched vagabond! You gutter creature! Off to the woods with you! Off, baggage. [NERISSA "stands trembling." There are plenty of street-corners in Stormwald. Off, you harlot! ["She raises her hand to strike her." [HEINDRIK "interposes between them, draws himself up, and salutes" MAUD stiffly.] HEINDRIK. My duty to you, Madam! ["He draws his revolver, and shoots himself, tumbling at her feet upon" NERISSA'S "cloak." NERISSA, "terribly frightened, screams and runs off into the forest." MAUD "spurns the body of" HEINDRIK "with her foot. The lights above go out. A pause," MAUD "waiting in stern {201} "silence. Enter the four officers with" PRINCE ERIK "bound and gagged."] MAUD. Take that gag out! ["They obey."] Now, Erik, you are coming back to the Palace. ERIK. What have you done with Nerissa? MAUD. Pah! The wench ran into the woods --- to look for men, I suppose. There were none in the garden. ERIK. You she-devil! Oh God! God, help me to avenge this night on you! MAUD. Vengeance! You paltry creature; one new pretty face is enough. Next week you'll have forgotten all about your --- fiddle-prostitute. ERIK. God help me to avenge this night on you! MAUD ["to the officers"]. Take him to the car! You can come back here and hide this fool's folly. ["She turns" HEINDRIK "over with her foot." THE OFFICER. Yes, Highness! ["They go out. The four officers return, and lift the corpse of" HEINDRIK, "which they cover with" NERISSA'S "cloak. They go out. A pause. The snow ceases to fall. The moon rises" C. "through the pines. In the distance is heard the howling of a lonely wolf."] CURTAIN. {202} ACT II SCENE I: "The Capital of Fiordland. Two years and six months later." PRINCE ERIK OLAF AND KARL, "two Nobles" "Officers of his Suite" THE PRINCESS MAUD. HELENA, "her companion" "Promenaders, Beer-drinkers. A Flower Girl" NERISSA "A number of people are enjoying the afternoon sunshine. Some walk and chat, others sit and drink." A DRINKER. ["Sings."] The North has a thousand beauties, and the South has only one. But we have borrowed a splinter from the spear of Captain Sun. We have trees as green as their trees; We have apple trees and pear trees! We have girls as sweet as their girls; We have flaxen girls and fair girls --- And chestnut girls and auburn girls --- And darker girls with raven curls! We do not envy their monotony Of a nigger for love and a palm-tree for botany! ["The guests of the beer-house stamp and beat the tables." {203} 2 DRINKER. Bravo! Bravo! 4 DRINKER. Hullo! Here comes Prince Erik. 3 DRINKER. With Karl and Olaf; I was with them at Heidelberg. 4 DRINKER. Oh! we know you're the dear friend of everybody with a title. But how shortsighted your friends are! [ERIK, OLAF, "and" KARL "pass over chatting." FLOWER GIRL. A pansy for your button-hole, my prince! ERIK. ["Smiles and accepts it."] Heart's-ease to you, my child. [OLAF "hands her a florin." FLOWER GIRL ["curtseys"]. Thanks, noble prince. ["To" OLAF.] A thousand thanks, my lord. ["She runs off, laughing, to other customers." 2 DRINKER ["slaps" 3 DRINKER "on back"]. But you were really intimate with that Italian Count, Conte Alcesto --- or was it Alcestissimo? --- Rigo de Righi de Righissimo. Where is he now? 4 DRINKER. "Where are the snows of yester-year?" 2 DRINKER. "All, all are gone, the old familiar faces." 3 DRINKER. I must be going to the Kurhaus. ["Exit." 2 DRINKER. Mr Count cost him more florins than he could count! 1 DRINKER ["sings"]. A bumble-bee buzzed in my ear: You cannot drink honey; drink beer! Now the wise men of earth Cannot measure the girth Of the brain of that brilliant bee! Bring a bock! bring a bock! Hang sherry and hock! Light Lager's the tipple for me! {204} THE WAITER. Hush, sir. The Princess is coming down the street. The second verse won't do. 1 DRINKER. Oh, we'll keep the second verse for after dinner. THE WAITER. And here's the blind fiddler, coming down yonder to the bridge. ["Point off" L. 2 DRINKER. What, the girl? THE WAITER. Yes, Snowstorm. A GUEST ["speaking with a marked foreign accent"]. Why, she is quite a young girl. But her hair is as white as your skies. THE WAITER. Yes, sir, that's why we call her Snowstorm. But it wasn't always white --- it was gold, the pale gold of our Fiordland sun; and her blind eyes were pale and blue and sparkling as our Fiordland seas. GUEST. And as treacherous, perhaps. WAITER. No, sir. She was a good girl. These gentlemen will tell you there was never a word against her. 1 DRINKER. Why, who was she? I don't recognize her at all. 2 DRINKER. Nor I. 4 DRINKER. Nor I. I seem to know her walk. WAITER. Ah, she only came here two days ago. But I know her story. No, sir, I had better not say all I know. But I'll tell you this. A jealous woman threw her into the forest at night in a snowstorm, with only a rag of a nightgown on her back. My father was a woodcutter. He found her in the morning, exhausted in the snow. And when she saw him she got up and ran, screaming. She took him for a wolf. 2 DRINKER. Good God! WAITER. But he took her to the hut, and my mother tended {205} her for over a year. I saw her last summer. When Father found her the hair was just as it is now; but it was the long illness that left her blind. 1 DRINKER. Good God! What a chilly story! Can she play the fiddle at all? WAITER. You shall hear her and judge for yourself, sir. 2 DRINKER. There she comes, over the bridge. ["Enter" R., "the" PRINCESS MAUD "and" HELENA "with two waiting-women and" L., "the" PRINCE "with" KARL, OLAF, "and his officers. They meet and chat amicably." MAUD "nods, rather furtively, to" HELENA, "who slips away, and presently finds herself in front of stage with" OLAF. "They have their backs to the audience."] HELENA. I always love that old house ["pointing"]. OLAF. That one? ["pointing"]. ["Meanwhile she has passed a note from her right hand to his left behind their backs."] HELENA. Yes, that one. OLAF. So do I. [MAUD "has taken" ERIK'S "arm and walked off with him" L., "They follow."] 2 DRINKER. Thank God! We can stretch our legs again. ["They make themselves comfortable." 1 DRINKER. And here comes your fairy fiddler! ["Enter" NERISSA, L., "groping her way. Reaching" C., "she takes her fiddle and begins to play a jig. All rise and dance round her, the drinkers with the peasant women and cocottes. The flower girl, in front of stage, does a pas seul." 2 "and" 4 DRINKERS "join her, and a peasant girl makes the fourth in an eccentric and" {206} "outrageous quartette. The Music stops. All stop, laughing and joking." 1 DRINKER. Well played, little girl! A ripping dance! 2 DRINKER. Topping, by Jove. 4 DRINKER. Now, gentlemen, here's my hat. Florins for little what's-her- name? --- little Snowstorm. THE WAITER. Make it up to a thousand florins, gentlemen. 1 DRINKER. A thousand florins! WAITER. She could earn that, once. 1 DRINKER. By Diogenes, you're as drunk as David's sow! WAITER. Play us something else, Snowstorm. Play us your best. 2 DRINKER. Yes! Play another dance! NERISSA. Life isn't all dancing, sir. 2 DRINKER. No, by Jove, I suppose your life isn't. 4 DRINKER. Thunder! Nobody's is! NERISSA. I will play you from Bach. ["She plays. All are hushed in admiration. At the last few bars re- enter" L., ERIK "with" KARL "and two officers. They stand and listen." ERIK "grips" KARL'S "shoulder and staggers. She ends. All applaud."] KARL. What is it, sir. ERIK. Nothing. Tell that girl to play again. KARL ["advancing"]. Mademoiselle, you have the honour to be commanded to play before His Highness. NERISSA. I will play --- I will play for the Prince! ["She is seized with a storm of emotion. Mastering herself, she begins the "Serenade." But she trembles so violently that the music is marred. As she goes on she recovers herself, when suddenly her E string snaps."] {207} NERISSA. I am so sorry, your Highness. My E string is broken. [ERIK "is not very near her, or he might recognise her voice." ERIK. Never mind; another time. Give her a gold piece, Karl. [KARL "gives her money." ERIK "moves off with him." ERIK. She can't play at all, Karl! Funny; that first piece sounded so well in the distance. ["They go off" R. NERISSA ["in a faint voice"]. Erik! THE WAITER. Look out, gentlemen, she is going to faint. ["He comes forward, just in time to catch her in his arms. He carries her into the beer-house as the" CURTAIN "falls."] SCENE II: "The same afternoon." THE GROUNDS OF THE PALACE. "It is a formal garden, with box hedges. There are Japanese cypresses, and roses in bloom." Behind, a terrace with balustrade, and steps leading to garden. A summer- house in one corner. Statuary. In the background, the Palace walls. PRINCE ERIK KARL OLAF PRINCESS MAUD HELENA, "waiting-woman to the Princess" "In the summer-house are" MAUD "and" HELENA, "smoking cigarettes." HELENA. Is not this dangerous, madam? MAUD. To see Olaf here? Pshaw! It is nothing. I do things a thousand times more dangerous. {208} HELENA. But why do it at all? MAUD. It is farewell. The man bores me. And he begins to give himself airs. HELENA. He begins to expect. MAUD. Which is the psychological moment to disappoint. Oh, Helena! if you knew my heart! It is impossible to understand me. It is Erik that I love. Erik is the only man I ever cared for --- so much! ["She snaps her fingers."] These boys! Damn them all, and their homage and their impudence. It is only Erik that I love. HELENA. Yes, Madam. MAUD. I know you think I am lying. I know you only understand flirtation. You do not understand revenge and despair. HELENA. I have not a Queen's heart, madam. MAUD. Do you understand? I never forget that my father is an emperor. Erik does not love me. In all his boyish follies I believe he had one love --- that fiddling harlot that I threw to the wolves. Ah! that was my night of perfect passion. HELENA. I understand love. I do not understand hate. MAUD. Then you do not understand love. ... Why is Olaf late? HELENA. There is someone on the terrace, now. [ERIK "and" KARL "enter" L. "on terrace." MAUD. Look! HELENA ["peeps through roof of summer-house, standing on the seat"]. It is the Prince and Count Karl. MAUD. Hush then! Let us be smoking! ["They light fresh cigarettes." ERIK. I tell you, Karl, I am sick. I am sick of life. {209} KARL. You were merry enough at tennis. ERIK. And then I saw that blind girl. It was a memory. For half a second her playing reminded me of something --- that --- that --- I have --- forgotten. Karl! I am a prince. I have been treated like a dog; and I have never avenged myself --- and the woman I loved. KARL. Avenge yourself now! ERIK. She is too strong for me. There is no weak point in her armour. KARL. She? ERIK. Can you not guess? It is the Princess. KARL. Highness! ERIK. I hate her --- and I am a doll in her hands. KARL ["dropping on one knee"]. Highness! I beg you to believe that I am your most devoted servant. ... ERIK. Why, yes! I never doubted it. What is it? KARL. I dare not tell your Highness. ERIK. Yes, speak! I command you to speak. KARL. I am not sure --- I have though --- things have happened. ... ERIK. What things? KARL. Oh, forgive me! It touches your Highness's honour. ERIK. The more reason I should know. KARL. It is ... some of us think that her Highness forgets her duty. ... ERIK. Impossible! She is madly jealous of me. KARL. I was sure I was wrong, your Highness. But --- ERIK. But! KARL. The Lady Helena blabs. {210} ERIK. A silly, gossiping fool. KARL. Not in words, Highness. But she bears herself as if she held great secrets. ERIK. So do all those in whom princes put their trust. Or --- don't put their trust! KARL. A lover of hers went very suddenly to the Embassy in Madrid. ERIK. Well? Ah! --- ... Hush! There goes Olaf. [OLAF "enters" R., "and descends steps, bowing formally to" ERIK "as he passes."] I see. And then? KARL. Watch, Highness. Murder will out. ERIK. I spy on my wife> I have my honour to consider. KARL. A two-edged sword. ERIK. I can confide only in you. ... If you should see or hear anything ... tell me. Let me think. The Chancellor is a safe man: we must tell him ... I will go now to his apartment; do you wait for me in the garden. KARL. Yes, Highness. ... I trust your Highness will forgive me. ERIK. You have given me hope. ["He gives" KARL "his hand." KARL "falls on one knee and kisses it." ERIK "goes out," L. KARL "waits moodily upon the terrace, sunk in thought. Meanwhile" OLAF "has made his way deviously to the summer-house. He bows and kisses the hand of" MAUD.] MAUD. Keep guard, Helena! [HELENA "goes out and up the path."] Come, Olaf! ["She draws him to her, and takes him in her arms. They kiss."] OLAF. Queen! Queen! MAUD. This is farewell. {211} OLAF. I was afraid it was dismissal. MAUD. Only a holiday. But I love you too much, I am getting reckless. People are beginning to talk. OLAF. It is my fault. I cannot control myself when I look at you. MAUD. I have got you the best command in the South. You will come up on leave; we can meet sometimes. OLAF. God help me. An hour's absence is torture. MAUD. A week's absence will cure that. OLAF. Don't think it. Don't think it! MAUD. Kiss me! You must go now. This is dreadfully dangerous. Karl is there on the terrace. OLAF. Is there no hope for ... MAUD. Not till you come back! Hush. Helena signals. [HELENA "gives a hissing "St!" as" KARL "descends steps."] Kiss me. Again. Now go. One last kiss. Oh, go! Farewell, my own Olaf! OLAF. God preserve your Highness --- and keep her love for me. MAUD. Always. Go now. OLAF. Good-bye. [HELENA "comes back." OLAF "steals off." HELENA. Danger. Karl is coming down into the garden. MAUD. Damn! ... Oh! ... What fun! Helena, hide yourself. Let him find me here. HELENA. Oh! ... Suppose the Prince comes back? MAUD. Go round the summer-house. Knock if he comes out on the terrace. [HELENA "obeys." KARL "comes slowly down the garden, deep in thought. He reaches the summer-house."] {212} MAUD. Come in, Count! [KARL "starts violently." KARL. I crave your Highness's pardon. I had no idea. ... MAUD. Boys never have. KARL. Have? ["He is still quite confused and embarrassed." MAUD. Any ideas. Come in and sit down. ["He obeys, awkwardly enough." KARL. I am flattered, Highness, to think that I thought of coming into the summer-house, exactly as you Highness did. MAUD. Count, you are paying compliments. One day you will be old enough to know that women like to be bullied. KARL. Your Highness is laughing at me. MAUD. Of course, but not as you think. That is the meaning of the Woman's Emancipation movement. Men left off beating their wives --- and the germs of discontent were sown. KARL. Your Highness is merry. MAUD. I am quite serious. The women cannot get their husbands to beat them any more, or cannot get husbands at all. So they force the police to arrest them, and force the doctors to feed them in prison. KARL. Your Highness is laughing at me. MAUD. On my honour, I am serious. KARL. Then you Highness insults my understanding! MAUD. Exactly. I am trying to get you to slap my face. KARL. I strike your Highness? MAUD. Is it not a smooth cheek --- and in your heart wouldn't you love to smack it? KARL. I would kill the scoundrel who offered to lift ... MAUD. Quite, quite. But it is I who am offering. Won't you box my ears? Just one little one? {213} KARL. Highness! Highness! You don't know what you are saying. MAUD. Just once! ... You men have no courage. KARL. I dare do all that a man should; if I dared to do more, I should be less. MAUD. That is Shakespeare, and quite spoilt. Come! If you daren't touch my cheek with your hand, do you dare with your lips? KARL. I trust I know my duty too well to insult your Highness. MAUD. Poor Highness! What is a Queen to do who wants a silly boy to kiss her? You would be forward enough with a pretty flower girl. ... I know you. I suppose I am not pretty enough. KARL. Your Highness is God's rose. MAUD. Then why not pick it? One little kiss --- just there --- you may. KARL. Your Highness, I may not. MAUD. Perhaps you don't care for women at all? KARL. I will love my lady. MAUD. But I am not your lady, my lord? KARL. Before God and within my honour --- and your Highness's honour --- you are my lady and I you humble servant. MAUD. You are short-sighted. KARL. I cannot see beyond my duty. MAUD. Your lady will find you a most dreadful prig! ... We pay a heavy price for our crowns. Are you not ashamed of yourself? You entrap me into making love to you! KARL. Before God, Madam. ... {214} MAUD. Hush! Hush! You mustn't swear. So you rob me of all my modesty ... you make me kiss you. ["With a swift movement she draws his face to hers, and kisses him on the mouth. She lets him go, and laughs distractedly at his confusion."] KARL ["sobbing and stammering"]. Madam, it is high treason. [MAUD "continues to laugh." [HELENA "gives a series of sharp knocks on the woodwork." MAUD. So it is! And here's the Prince coming. Run for it! KARL. I ... I ... [MAUD "pushes him out." MAUD. You fool! Do you want to ruin me? [KARL "sees the danger, and glides away along the path." Helena! Come back quick. [HELENA "darts into the summer-house." MAUD. Oh, what a fool! did you ever see such a fool? HELENA. I am terrified for your Highness. It is madness. MAUD. No, it's only Maraschino. HELENA. People have got drunk of Maraschino. MAUD. I should love to see him drunk. HELENA. I think you did. MAUD. What? Do you really think so? Really? HELENA. There isn't a man alive who wouldn't go mad --- on the wine of your vintage. Only the flattery of it is enough, if he were an icicle. MAUD. Yes, but if you melt an icicle, it only drips away. He's only a prig. HELENA. And if you take away all his ideas of faith and honour --- if you shatter his belief in the goodness of woman ... {215} MAUD. There's nothing left. You're wrong. He loves me no more than --- than --- than I love him! HELENA. Oh, It's impossible. There aren't such men. MAUD. We shall see ... Are they gone? HELENA. No. They've just met. They're going up the steps together. I think the Prince notices something. MAUD. Keep still, then. I wish they'd go. It's cold here. HELENA. As the mooncalf observed, you Highness is please to jest. MAUD. How dare you? Hush! [ERIK, "on terrace, turns and holds" KARL "by the shoulder and looks sharply in his face."] ERIK. What's the matter? KARL. I daren't say. Oh. ... ERIK. Who is in the garden? Answer me. KARL. Her Highness is in the garden. ERIK. Yes? What has happened? KARL. Oh, sir, she has made a jest of me! ERIK. Tell me all, What did she do? KARL. She pretended, your Highness. ... ERIK. Answer me, Sir! Pretended what? KARL. She pretended to be ... ERIK. To be what? KARL. To be in l... To be fond of me, Highness. ERIK. Truth? What did she say? KARL. Oh, just laughing at me. I do not understand what it all meant. ERIK. Did she do anything? KARL. Yes --- oh! {216} ERIK. What? KARL. She kissed me. ERIK. And you? KARL. I told her it was high treason. ERIK. She meant it! She meant it every word! You were right with your gossip. Please God, we'll have her. Look here, boy, run back. Tell her you thought she was testing you; tell her you're madly in love, and if you die for it, you must have another kiss. I'll be near --- No! She'd hear me or see me. Test her. Get her to make an assignation. Then we'll trap her. KARL. Oh, sir, my honour! ERIK. Your honour is in my keeping --- and by God! mine is in yours! KARL. Sir. ERIK. Go! I am your officer. It is an order. Carry it out as I would have you. It is the honour of Fiordland that is at stake! KARL. I obey, Highness. ["He moves off." ERIK. Nerissa! If your spirit still haunts this earth, come! Hover! Witness that your lover strikes at last. Revenge --- revenge upon that tigress, that barren she-wolf ... devil! devil! devil! Nerissa! angel ... angel whom I dragged from the empyrean, saint whom I tore from your niche, white dove whose wings I soiled ... be near me! aid me! aid me to my vengeance! ["Exit" L. KARL "has reached the summer-house. He falls on his knees." MAUD "and" HELENA "exchange smiles."] KARL. Pardon, Highness. {217} MAUD. This gentleman may have some private communication for me. Leave us, Helena! [HELENA "goes out and keeps guard as before." KARL. Oh, your Highness, how can you pardon me? I thought you were testing me --- perhaps you are testing me --- but if I perish, I love you. I am mad. I love you madly, madly. Now kill me! Call the guards. I love you. Let me once touch the tips of your fingers and then. ... MAUD. Karl! my Karl! my own dove. I meant it. I love you. Come to me! Kiss me! I want to feel your strong arms round me. ["She embraces him. They kiss. He almost faints, for he must allow and return the caress."] I cannot bear it! You are killing me. Be quiet; Helena will hear. Go now; leave me; I am faint. KARL. And when shall I ... MAUD. At midnight, at the vestry door of St Hildebrand's. KARL. I will be there. My Princess! MAUD. Karl! Karl! Go quickly. The last kiss --- till midnight. Send Helena to me. ["He kisses her, and goes up terrace and off" L. [HELENA "returns." MAUD. Well? HELENA. Tara-diddle-iddle-doodle-oodle-ay! MAUD. I smell a rat; I see him brewing in the air; come, let us nip him in the bud. Just the sort of foolish trick Erik would try on me --- to send a boy like that who can no more lie than fly. I soiled him, though! HELENA. So you Highness will not patronise St Hildebrand! MAUD. Indeed, we shall be two pilgrims. The fool will {218} hatch some foolish plot --- and I shall vindicate my innocence. And I think I can go one better than that! Come; we must dress for dinner. HELENA. Our appetites are whetted. MAUD. Yours, I suppose, for love; mine, for some sharper sweetmeat! ["They go out, through garden, and up steps, and off" R. "A pause. Re- enter" KARL "and" ERIC {sic}., L., "arm in arm, and walk up and down."] ERIK. Very good, boy. Excellent. And now just one touch to the masterpiece! We are much of a size ... I think I will see how I look in a lieutenant's uniform. KARL. Oh yes, Highness, that will be much better. ERIK. So I shall be master of the situation, however things turn out. KARL. Your Highness is a Bismarck! Always master of the situation! ["They go off" L., "laughing, as the" CURTAIN "falls." {219} PERSONS REPRESENTED PRINCE ERIK KARL PRINCESS MAUD HELENA THE FOUR DRINKERS, "with Women, Elsie, Carlotta, and two others" "An old gigantic Priest" THE CHANCELLOR "A Corporal's File" NERISSA "A Neighbour to" NERISSA ACT III "The same day" --- 11.30 "p.m." "At the back of the Stage is the Palace. The Prince's apartment is in brilliant light. The other windows are dark." R. "is the church of St Hildebrand, the vestry door being well up stage; parallel with the wall runs an avenue of yews." L. "a row of houses, and a similar avenue. The whole character of the scene is one of Gothic Gloom." "Enter the Priest" L. "with two acolytes and enters church. Various townspeople, going home, cross stage. Hymn from within church." All ye tottering crags that thrust Tortured foreheads from the dust, Palaces of fear wherein Lurk the sacraments of sin, {220} Be abased before the nod Of our one Almighty God! Crag and pinnacle and spire Hear our hymn! Disrupt, dislimn! God is a consuming fire. Dwellers of the darkness, flee! Leave the night to grace and gree! Whether sleep dissolves the soul Or vigil gains the godly goal, Be the Lord a puissant aid To his children undismayed! Crag and pinnacle, etc. ["Enter" NERISSA "and a neighbour" R. NEIGHBOUR. That's the Palace, on the right, dearie. There's a light in Prince Erik's room. He's just going to bed, I suppose. Now you're coming along to have a bit of supper with me, lamb, and then you shall go to bed, too. NERISSA. I don't think I shall sleep much to-night. I think I shall wander about a little, and play tunes to the breezes and the nightingales. NEIGHBOUR. The owls are the only birds abroad. And there are burglars, lamb. It's very late now. ["Enter" 1"st and" 3"rd" DRINKERS L., "with three companions, and a group of women of the town, noisily."] 1 DRINKER. Hullo! Here's our little blind fiddler girl. Come along, dear. I'll mend your fiddle for you. NEIGHBOUR. Go away; you're drunk. {221} ELSIE. So sorry, dear, we won't interfere with you. We're only going home. [NERISSA "and neighbour go off" L. 1 DRINKER. We're not going home. I swear it. I call to witness yon bright star. ["Apostrophizes Castle window." 3 DRINKER. You fool, it isn't a star. It's the moon. It's the beautiful moon. ELSIE. It's the window of the Castle. 1 DRINKER. I tell you it's a star. It isn't the right colour for the moon. 3 DRINKER. It's too big to be a star. A COMPANION. Boys, it's the sun. The rising sun. It's not the right shape for a window. 1 DRINKER. So it is. Well, didn't I say so! The rising sun --- the star of day! CARLOTTA. Oh come along and sleep it off! 1 DRINKER. Sleep in the beautiful sunshine? Oh, Carlotta, how wicked you must be! This is the time when respectable people get up, and enjoy the cool air of the morning. Let us go into the fields and pick buttercups! 3 DRINKER. Buttercups and daisies! 1 DRINKER. Let's sing a hymn of gladness on this bright and beautiful morning! 3 DRINKER. I tell you it's the moon. Elsie, it's the moon, isn't it? You may kiss me. Now that's the moon. What a plump, pretty face you've got. I'm going to be the man in the moon. ["He kisses her several times. The others are reeling about the square, except one man who is leaning, in despair, against a tree."] CARLOTTA. Come along, dear! {222} 1 DRINKER. Why should I come along? CARLOTTA. You're drunk. 1 DRINKER. You're a liar. I'm not too drunk to stand. I'm not too drunk to sing ("sings"): There's nothing like beer One's courage to cheer, A soldier is certain to tell you; And the militant one With his sword and his gun Is always a jolly good fellow! 3 DRINKER. Oh, that's a rotten song. Strike me! I do believe there's the man in the moon! [PRINCE ERIK "is seen for a moment at the lighted window. He is in the uniform of a lieutenant."] 1 DRINKER. You're as drunk as it's humanly possible for a gentleman to be. It's the sun, you owl; there never was a man in the sun. There couldn't be; it's against human nature. 3 DRINKER. Well, let's dance, Elsie, turn the band on again! 1 DRINKER. No, it's absurd. Respectable people don't dance at four o'clock in the morning! But I'll sing. I'll wake the birds. I'll make the cock crow, like poor old Peter did. Poor old Peter. 3 DRINKER. I leave all that to Elsie. Elsie, my dear, I want a lark. Just make up one for me, will you? ELSIE. I'm so tired. I want to go home to bed. 1 DRINKER ("sings"): Give rum to the sailor! It's always a failure; {223} He tosses about on the breast of the ocean. He is clumsy and stout, And a booby, a lout, For his life's a perpet --- a perpetual motion! ["All chorus" 3 "last lines of each verse." The Temperance crank Gets his booze from the tank, A liquor less fit for a man than a frog. His mind is a fog, and he lives in the bog --- You may bet you can always find him in the bog! ["Chorus". But the soldier's a chap That can laugh at mishap; He finds room in Dame Fortune's and Marian's lap. And why, do you think? It's a question of drink. He knows what is good when his stomach might sink! ["Chorus". Now this is the reason His foe he can freeze on, And defend his good monarch from malice or treason. His heart's full of cheer And his belly of beer, And he never --- he never runs off to the rear! "Chorus." It may sound very queer, But the truth is quite clear. He never --- He never runs off to the rear. {224} ["During this song all are marching about the Square, some arm-in-arm, some embracing. The light in the Palace goes out."] 2 DRINKER. Oh my goodness! The sun's gone out. 1 DRINKER. It's only an eclipse, you fool 3 DRINKER. Elsie wants me to come home. Now what I say is. ... 1 DRINKER. It's very dangerous to be out of doors in an eclipse. I'm going home. Come along, Carlotta; I want you to teach me cat's cradle. CARLOTTA. Not at this time of the night, stupid. I'm going to tie your nose to the knocker, and run away! ["They all reel off," R. "A short pause. As their voices die away --- one breaks out, off, into the last chorus --- other voices are heard, off," L. "They approach. Enter" ERIK "as a Lieutenant, with an old man, the Chancellor."] ERIK. Come over here, Chancellor. You will not be seen behind these trees. I need not ask you to watch closely, and report truthfully, what may occur. CHANCELLOR. I cannot believe that your Highness is justified. ERIK. Your eyes must be your judge. If I drop this handkerchief, you will come forward and make the arrest. The men will be concealed in these doorways. ["The organ plays a voluntary." ERIK "and "CHANCELLOR "uncover and keep silence."] CHANCELLOR. It is a dangerous game, your Highness. ERIK. I have picked devoted men. The succession is at stake. CHANCELLOR. Highness, I am an old man, and I know much of successions! It is always best to be dumb, and very nearly always best to be blind. {225} ERIK. You have wandered too much among the tombs. CHANCELLOR. I wished to see if ghosts walked ERIK. And do they? CHANCELLOR. Only when madmen call them up! Let the dead alone. ERIK. On every wind one ghost calls to me. CHANCELLOR. Ah! There is more in this than the honour of Fiordland. I was sure I knew all about successions! ERIK. Yes, silence serves their turn. But what if the Blood of Abel crieth from the ground? CHANCELLOR. Sir, the blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church. But not by vengeance upon the murderers. ERIK. Chancellor, it is useless to dissuade me. I have not slept well for a long while. CHANCELLOR. And so your judgment is clouded. ERIK. My judgment shall be the forked flash of heaven! CHANCELLOR. Beware whom it may strike! ERIK. You always bode. CHANCELLOR. I have lived long enough to fear calamity. My daughter caught the chill that killed her on the fairest day of summer. ERIK. Yes, it is your age that speaks. Is it not just as true that storm purifies the air? ... But enough. Here comes Karl with his men. ["Enter" KARL "with corporal's file." CHANCELLOR "conceals himself."] ERIK. Get your men into the doorways. ["He consults his watch, with great difficulty; for it is now very dark."] It is nearly time. Enough now. Not a sound. {226} [KARL "has concealed himself and the soldiers in the doorways of the houses." ERIK "in centre of stage, listening. After a long pause he seems to catch a sound; for he smiles, raises his finger as a sign, and goes into the shadow of the vestry porch. Another pause. Footsteps are heard, and low voices. The footsteps stop. Then" HELENA "enters, behind Church, with great discretion. She looks and listens keenly."] HELENA. It is all right. MAUD ["off"]. Then stay under the trees. They are there? [HELENA "nods, with a little laugh, and goes back among the trees." MAUD "enters quietly, and slips round by the vestry."] ERIK ["imitating the voice of" KARL]. We are alone, my beautiful. Come; the car is at the back of the houses. [MAUD "and" ERIK "come out into the square." ERIK. My darling! ["He puts his arms about her neck." MAUD. What does this mean? How dare you insult your Princess? Do you think I should come here, and not know how to defend myself? ["With a little dagger she strikes him in the throat. He falls dead."] CHANCELLOR ["rushing out"]. By God, Madam, you have killed the Prince! MAUD. The Prince! Erik! I have killed Love itself! Death! What have I done? Madman! Oh then, what is left for me to do? Erik! Why do you look at me like that? Come home to the Palace! ["She is now up by Exit" R. HELENA. Madam, I pray you ... {227} MAUD. Silence, you fool! I will show you how a queen can die. ["She thrusts the dagger into her side, and falls, off."] Eric! {sic} ["All are now grouped round the corpse of the Prince. The vestry door opens suddenly. A gigantic priest, with a terrible beard, long and snow-white, brandishing a huge cross of rough wood, rushes out."] PRIEST. Begone revellers! Disturb not the sacred night with your cries! Children of the devil, I am at my prayers, my prayers for your lost souls! Accursed are ye, accursed of God! Begone! ["He retires into the vestry, and slams the heavy door." A SOLDIER. He is right! We are accursed. The place is accursed. ["Panic seizes them all, and they rush off" R., "spurning the corpse of the Princess, and crying "Accursed! The curse of God is upon us! We are accursed!] ["The cries die away. Absolute silence reigns. After a long pause" NERISSA "is seen among the trees," L. "She feels her way from tree to tree."] NERISSA. This is the square. I wonder if his window is still lighted. He will come to me if he is awake. ["She is now near centre of stage, almost touching the corpse of" PRINCE ERIK.] ["She takes her violin and plays "Abide with me" (or, as an alternative, the Serenade). At the end she waits, then gives a sigh."] I suppose he has gone to sleep. I will go back. Perhaps to-morrow! ["She turns back and goes out." CURTAIN. {228}