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spirits for me. I can keep my mind on my desires. As for money, I think I can help there.
The abbey has much gold in store, they may
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not lend; usury is forbidden to churchmen. But, you can sell your house for say, twenty
gold pieces, and buy it back again in three months for say thirty, the abbey oft does things
like that, and it can be arranged that you may live in it for three months or more. If thou
takest the castle, you will get gold to repay. If thou dost not, well, I think you will not
need any house."
Thur made a wry face. "Thy terms are extortionate, but borrowers may not be
choosers."
Stephen rose. "Well, 'tis settled, I will speak to the abbot, telling him 'tis but a
foolish scare about magic and only a matter of you having some friends in and burning
some drugs that had gone bad. Now, what night wilt call the spirits for me?"
Thur pondered. "I must consult the stars and my parchments, but I know thy stars
are well aspected. I will prepare things in the morn ... come tomorrow night."
The next night, being Thursday the seventh of the new moon Stephen knocked,
and was admitted. After greetings, Thur said: "I have searched the parchments, I think
Dantilion is ,the best spirit for your purpose, he is a duke, great and mighty. His office; is
to teach all the arts and sciences unto any, and to declare the secret councils of anyone;
for he knoweth the thoughts of all men and he can change them at his will. Or at least so
the parchments say. This is a favourable night to call him. Morven and I have made the
pentacles to summon him, if your heart fails you not." "I would face the devil himself,"
came the rejoinder, "and, Thur, I have spoken to the abbot, you can have the gold, an you
sign this parchment, selling your house and its contents for twenty-two pieces, and you
may buy it back again for thirty-two any time within the six months. Will that suit you?
'Twas the best terms I could screw out of him." "Aye, borrowers may not help
themselves," grumbled Thur. "Now, come you up," and he led the way to where Morven
waited by a tub of warm water. Stephen who knew something of the theory of the art
magical, watched with a critical and interested eye, as Thur bathed, and then exorcised
the water, then purified himself, then Morven followed suit, and Stephen was in turn
purified. This being done, :exactly as when evoking Bartzebal, then Thur donned his
linen robe and handing one to Stephen prepared to mount to the loft above.
"Halt no robe for Morven?" demanded Stephen. "It is not seemly that a woman
should stand as God made her. in the presence of clad men. It passeth my understanding
whither hath fled her modesty." Stephen voiced his discontent with an austere kind of
grumpiness, as he eyed her with an unyielding disapproval. It was not so much her,
particular
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nakedness to which he objected, as the fact that the nakedness was divided; if nakedness
was needful to the rite, well and good, if no, let all be clothed alike. Such was Stephen's
mind; he knew it was the custom that a witch must work naked to attain full power, but to
his surprise, he found himself excessively disliking the fact that this particular witch was
obeying the law.
He knew they were going to raise spirits; probably through the power of God, but
his natural austerity was such that he made a natural cleavage between sex and God. He
did not consider sex as sinful, he had seen too much of it. In the abbeys there was much
wantonness, but he could never admit to himself that things of the spirit had any
connection with the flesh. When Stephen Langton approached his God he wished to put
from him the idea there could be such a thing as sex. He knew some of the practises of
the. art magical by repute, he knew it was said these things were necessary, but he
approached it with some uneasiness. Could not things be so arranged to suit his own
notions? More power exerted somehow, to cover the weakness that would be caused by
the rites being mutilated?
Go through it he must; he was being driven forward by a stronger mind than his
own. He well knew his fate if he returned having failed in his mission especially through
his own weakness. Yet he had a lurking sense that he should not seek to attain his
ambitions this way. Yet he was amazed and impressed by the paraphernalia, the
thoroughness of the purification, the quotations from holy writ, the repeated mention of
the name of God. He expected something slightly adverse, if not diabolical, or at least
something tending that way, but it was so much a religious service that his mind was
raised to a lofty pitch of sublimity only to be brought to earth again at the sight of
Morven.
"We meet to worship God," he proclaimed, "to beseech him to permit us to
perform marvels. Put on thy raiment, woman, when you enter the presence of God."
Thur paused with one foot on the ladder and turned his head to the speaker, the
light of the lantern threw vast shadows on the walls, turning human beings into the
semblance of giants. Troubled and doubtful, Thur turned the lantern so its rays fell on
Stephen's face, in which the magus read hurt and shock. "We must do as the rite bids,
Stephen," he said. "Morven is necessary to me in the art, I cannot work without her. Thou
knowest she is a witch and so must do as ever witches must do, or her power fails. Rid
you of your distractions if you would succeed. Keep thy mind on thine own wishes; for if [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]