Lester," and
he leaned forward suddenly, "have you the courage to consult the
sphere?"
"What do you mean?"
"You saw how I spent the White Night of Siva," and he made his gesture
of reverence. "Will you gaze for an hour on the crystal?"
"For what purpose?"
"I do not know what may be revealed to you," he answered. "That is in
the keeping of the Holy One. Perhaps nothing; perhaps much. Will you
make the trial?"
His eyes were distended with excitement, his lips were trembling with
eagerness.
"I feel that it will not be in vain!" he added.
There was something compelling in his gaze. After all, why not? I
struggled to my feet.
With a strange smile, he held back the curtain, and I passed before
him into the hall and up the stairs. As I hesitated at the top, he
opened the door into the entry, and again my senses were assaulted by
a heavy, numbing odour. In the middle of the room the crystal sphere
glowed softly.
"Take your place upon the couch," he said; "sit thus, with your legs
crossed, and your hands folded before you. But first, listen to me.
There is in this no magic; this sphere is merely a shell of crystal,
in which a small lamp burns.
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