The Equinox (Volume I, Number X)

THE KEY OF THE MYSTERIES “You are not occupied in the ministry in Paris?” “No, not now; I was for some little while employed in the parish of St. Germain-Auxerrois.” “ And you now spend your time, I understand, in curious researches in occult science.” “Not precisely, but I am seeking the realization of a thought. . . . I have something to do.” “J do not suppose that this something can be an opera- tion of Black Magic. You know as well as I do, reverend sir, that the Church has always condemned, and still con- demns, severely, everything which relates to these forbidden practices.” A pale smile, imprinted with a sort of sarcastic irony, was all the answer that the Abbé gave, and the conversation fell to the ground. However, the cheiromancer Desbarrolles was attentively looking at the hand of the priest; he perceived it, a quite natural explanation followed, the Abbé offered graciously and of his own accord his hand to the experimenter. Desbar- rolles knit his brows, and appeared embarrassed. The hand was damp and cold, the fingers smooth and spatulated; the mount of Venus, or the part of the palm of the hand which corresponds to the thumb, was of a noteworthy development, the line of life was short and broken, there were crosses in the centre of the hand, and stars upon the mount of the moon. “ Reverend sir,” said Desbarrolles, “ if you had not a very solid religious education you would easily become a dangerous sectary, for you are led on the one hand toward the most exalted mysticism, and on the other to the most concentrated obstinacy combined with the greatest secretiveness that can M 2 163