The Vision and the Voice

THE EQUINOX The tenth Aethyr is the world of adjectives, and there is no substance therein. (Now returned the beautiful woman who had _ before tempted the Scribe. She prevailed not.) I am afraid of sunset, for Tum is more terrible than Ra, and Khephra the Beetle is greater than the Lion Mau. I am a-cold. (Here Choronzon wanted to leave the triangle to obtain wherewith to cover his nakedness. The Scribe refused the request, threatening the demon. After a while the latter continued:) Iam commanded, why I know not, by him that speaketh. Were it thou, thou little fool, I would tear thee limb from limb. I would bite off thine ears and nose before I began with thee. I would take thy guts for fiddle-strings at the Black Sabbath. Thou didst make a great fight there in the circle; thou art a goodly warrior! (Then did the demon laugh loudly. The Scribe said: Thou canst not harm one hair of my head.) I will pull out every hair of thy head, every hair of thy body, every hair of thy soul, one by one. (Then said the Scribe: Thou hast no power.) Yea, verily I have power over thee, for thou hast taken the Oath, and art bound unto the White Brothers, and therefore have I the power to torture thee so long as thou shalt be. (Then said the Scribe unto him: Thou liest.) Ask of thy brother P. .. ., and he shall tell thee if I lie! (This the Scribe refused to do, saying that it was no concern of the demon’s.) 100