`No; none of us had. We could only suppose that McAleister had been unable to take it, and cracked at the critical moment. Crowley was in a private asylum outside Paris for six months. He was very lucky to recover his sanity, and afterwards he would never speak of the affair. In fact, I doubt very much if he had any definite memory of what had happened. But you'll understand now why from that time on he seemed like a washed out rag, and why when you met him he entirely failed to impress you.'
`Yes,' the Canon nodded, `I was not introduced to him
until the early 'thirties, and what you have told me explains
the disappointment I felt at the time. But we have not yet recalled where it was that I met you.'
Again C. B. was on dangerous ground, but he knew that Crowley had spent much of the 'thirties in London, and that the better off mystics preferred the privacy of houses to living in flats; so he punted for that area of the capital which then had a greater number of moderate sized private houses than any other, and said, `For the life of me I can't recall the occasion definitely, but I have the impression that it was at a party held out Regent's Park way, or in St. John's Wood.'
'Ah!' said the Canon. .'Then it must have been at Mocata's house: at least at a house just behind Lord's that he made his headquarters for a while; although I believe it was actually owned by a wealthy young Jew who had become a disciple of his.'
This was the acid test. C. B. was acutely aware that, if Copely Syle entertained any suspicions of his bona fides, in the question of where they might have met before lay the perfect opportunity to set a trap. He had only to suggest a place in which he had never been and, if his visitor accepted it, unmask him as a fraud. But C. B. felt it reasonable to hope that their talk of Aleister Crowley had gone a long way to still any early doubts about himself that the Canon might have held, and that his suggestion was free from guile. Gambling boldly on that, and using his excellent knowledge of London even to gild the lily a little, he replied
`Of course that must have been it. And unless my memory's failing me again the house was in Medina Place.'
`That is so,' the Canon nodded. `I went there on a number of occasions and on none of them were there less than twenty people present. That is why I failed to recall you at first sight. There was an observatory at the top of the house, and it proved most useful for the performance of certain rituals.'
`It was Crowley who took me there, but only once.' C. B. hedged cautiously to avoid being questioned on how well he knew this Mr. Mocata; but his host went on reminiscently
`Poor Mocata; he too fell by the wayside through attempting too much. That must have been shortly after we met, as the house at St. John's Wood was his last address. He was engaged in a search for the Talisman of Set, but he came into conflict with a White Magician of greater power than himself, and was found dead one morning outside a house called Cardinal's Folly, in Worcestershire. The coroner's jury brought it in as heart, of course; but I've no doubt at all that it was the rebound of an unsuccessful curse sent out by himself that killed him.'
`I trust,' said C. B., `that the work you are engaged upon is not of such a dangerous nature.'
Copely Syle's light hazel eyes lit up again, and now held a fanatical gleam. `There is always danger in great magical operations; but I should have no fear whatever of the outcome if only this accursed girl had not eluded me. Whatever it costs, whatever risks are run, she must be in my hands by the evening of the 6th.'
`You have less than forty eight hours left to work in; and as long as the French authorities keep her in prison I don't see how de Grasse can get hold of her for you.'
Standing up, the Canon began to walk agitatedly up and down. `You are right. De Grasse can do nothing now except under my direction. I must handle this myself.'
`How do you propose to set about it?'
`I shall fly out to France to morrow. Some of de Grasse's thugs will at least be able to help from their knowledge of the prisons and the warders.'
`In so short a time it is not going to be easy to plan an escape or rather, the even more difficult job of an abduction as it is unlikely now that she would be willing to leave prison with any of de Grasse's people. It may take days of cautious enquiry before one or more jailers who are susceptible to bribery can be seduced, and then one would have to wait until it was their turn to go on night duty.'
`No, no!' The Canon's voice was sharp with impatience. `This is a case for the use of occult weapons; only so can the time factor be overcome. I shall telephone de Grasse to find out the names of the jailers who will be on duty tomorrow night. Then he must get me some things belonging to them. Nail clippings or hair are too much to hope for at such short notice, but it should not be difficult to steal some of their soiled linen; unwashed pants or pyjamas would serve quite well. With those to work on I could easily bemuse their minds and make them temporarily my servants. As for the girl, after sunset she is ruled by Asmodeus, so will do as she is directed.'
Having let the Canon know that Christina was in prison, a few hours before he would otherwise have learned it, had enabled C. B. to fish very skilfully for the steps her pursuer would take in consequence. Now that he knew them he was able to make a bid to counter them in advance; and, being no mean psychologist, he put a price on the bait in the trap he was laying so that the Canon would be less likely to suspect it to be one. With a thoughtful air, he remarked
`I came back from the South this morning only on account of some urgent personal business I had to attend to in London. I tackled that before coming down here, and I am flying out again to morrow. I have quite enough experience to perform the minor magic’s you have in mind, so could save you the trip if you cared to make it worth my while.'
The fat little Canon halted in front of him. `That certainly is an idea, as de Grasse would give you the same co operation as he would me. But are you absolutely certain you could do that which is necessary? Remember, should you fail there will be no second chance; for if we do not get her out of prison by to morrow night there will be no time left to transport her to England before her birthday is over. No! I dare not risk it. Much as I dislike air travel, I must fly down to morrow and cast these spells myself.'
`Just as you like.' C. B. shrugged with apparent indifference. `But I performed just the type of operation you have in mind successfully several times during the war. During the latter part of it I was working in France for the Gestapo, and I managed to get several of their agents out of the clutches of the de Gaullists by such means.'
`What grade do you hold?' asked the Canon uncertainly. `I have eight circles and three squares.'
`Really ! Then you are past the Abyss.'
`Yes. I passed it on Walpurgis Night, 1946.'
`As a Magister Templi you could hardly fail. But what did you mean by “making it worth your while” to act for me? With such powers you surely cannot be short of money?'
C. B. shook his head. `It is not that, and it will cost you nothing. What I had in mind was this. Virgins of three times seven years are never particularly easy to come by, and to procure one far use on the night of her twenty first birthday, when nearly every girl is given a party of some sort, makes the success of such a quest a matter of extreme difficulty. That such a combination is essential to the completion of your work tells me that you must be engaged on a magical operation of quite exceptional importance. As an initiate of twenty five years' standing I am naturally interested now only in the most advanced types of conjuration; but in those I am very interested indeed. Would it be too much to ask you to tell me the end towards which you are working and, perhaps, when we have got the girl, allow me to act as your assistant in the final transubstantiation?'
Copely Syle thought for a moment, then he replied, `Were you still below the Abyss I would not consider it fitting to disclose to you such formula as I must use; neither would I risk allowing you to make one in a coven for such a ceremony were I not an Ipsissimus, and free to choose my associates within certain limits. But since you are an Adept of the S.S. with only two circles to gain and two squares to lose before reaching the highest plane of the Order, I see nothing against acceding to your request. I should warn you, though, that this is a matter which it would be sheer madness for anyone of a lesser degree than Ipsissimus to attempt, for it is the greatest of all the Great Works.'
`You must refer to the achieving of Oneness with God,' said C. B., stroking back his grey hair.
`Yes. No one would deny that the transmutation of base metals into gold, or the distillation of the Elixir that will renew youth and prolong life indefinitely, are Great Works; but for many years I have devoted myself to a greater. I have now reached a point where only one thing is necessary for me to become the equal of God. On the 6th of March I, Augustus Copely Syle, will also create Life.'
`Homunculi?' murmured C. B., suppressing a start.
The Canon bared his ugly, blackened teeth in a smile. `Yes, homunculi; and one of them at least shall be a
