第43章

Itis，yousee，themagiccycleofZoroaster，inwhichSaturnandMarsareomitted。"

"AndhowwouldyouhaveproceededifyouhadgonetoworkinthehouroftheMoon？"

"IshouldhavebegunwithJupiter，passedtotheSun，thentoAraelorVenus，andIshouldhavefinishedatMercury。"

"Iseesir，thatyouaremostaptinthecalculationoftheplanetaryhours。"

"Withoutitonecandonothinginmagic，asonewouldhavenoproperdata；however，itisaneasymattertolearn。Anyonecouldpickitupinamonth’stime。Thepracticaluse，however，ismuchmoredifficultthanthetheory；this，indeed，isacomplicatedaffair。I

neverleavemyhousewithoutascertainingtheexactnumberofminutesintheday，andtakecarethatmywatchisexacttothetime，foraminutemoreorlesswouldmakeallthedifferenceintheworld"

"Wouldyouhavethegoodnesstoexplainthetheorytome。"

"YouwillfinditinArtephiusandmoreclearlyinSandivogius。"

"Ihavebothworks，buttheyareinLatin。"

"Iwillmakeyouatranslationofthem。"

"Youareverykind；Ishallbeextremelyobligedtoyou。"

"Ihaveseensuchthingshere，madam，thatIcouldnotrefuse，forreasonswhichImay，perhaps，tellyouto—morrow。"

"Whynotto—day？"

"BecauseIoughttoknowthenameofyourfamiliarspiritbeforeI

tellyou。"

"Youknow，then，thatIhaveafamiliar？Youshouldhaveone，ifitistruethatyoupossessthepowderofprojection。"

"Ihaveone。"

"Givemetheoathoftheorder。"

"Idarenot，andyouknowwhy。"

"PerhapsIshallbeabletoremoveyourfearsbytomorrow。"

ThisabsurdoathwasnoneotherthanthatoftheprincesoftheRosyCross，whoneverpronounceitwithoutbeingcertainthateachpartyisaRosicrucian，soMadamed’Urfewasquiterightinhercaution，andasformeIhadtopretendtobeafraidmyself。ThefactisI

wantedtogaintime，forIknewperfectlywellthenatureoftheoath。Itmaybegivenbetweenmenwithoutanyindecency，butawomanlikeMadamed’Urfewouldprobablynotrelishgivingittoamanwhomshesawforthefirsttime。

"WhenwefindthisoathalludedtointheHolyScriptures，"shesaid，"itisindicatedbythewords’hesworetohimbylayinghishandonhisthigh。’"

"Butthethighisnotreallywhatismeant；andconsequentlyweneverfindanynoticeofamantakingthisoathtoawoman，asawomanhasno’verbum’。"

TheCountdelaTourd’Auvergnecamebackatnineo’clockintheevening，andheskewednolittleastonishmentatseeingmestillwithhisaunt。Hetoldusthathiscousin’sfeverhadincreased，andthatsmall—poxhaddeclareditself；"andIamgoingtotakeleaveofyou，mydearaunt，atleastforamonth，asIintendtoshutmyselfupwiththesickman。"

Madamed’Urfepraisedhiszeal，andgavehimalittlebagonhispromisingtoreturnittoherafterthecureoftheprince。

"Hangitroundhisneckandtheeruptionwillcomeoutwell，andhewillbeperfectlycured。"

Hepromisedtodoso，andhavingwishedusgoodeveninghewentout。

"Idonotknow，madam，whatyourbagcontains，butifithaveaughttodowithmagic，Ihavenoconfidenceinitsefficacy，asyouhaveneglectedtoobservetheplanetaryhour。"

"Itisanelectrum，andmagicandtheobservanceofthehourhavenothingtodowithit。"

"Ibegyourpardon。"

Shethensaidthatshethoughtmydesireforprivacypraiseworthy，butshewassureIshouldnotbeillpleasedwithhersmallcircle，ifIwouldbutenterit。

"Iwillintroduceyoutoallmyfriends，"saidshe，"byaskingthemoneatatime，andyouwillthenbeabletoenjoythecompanyofthemall。"

Iacceptedherproposition。

InconsequenceofthisarrangementIdinedthenextdaywithM。Grinandhisniece，butneitherofthemtookmyfancy。Thedayafter，I

dinedwithanIrishmannamedMacartney，aphysicianoftheoldschool，whoboredmeterribly。Thenextdaytheguestwasamonkwhotalkedliterature，andspokeathousandfolliesagainstVoltaire，whomIthenmuchadmired，andagainstthe"EspritdesLois，"afavouriteworkofmine，whichthecowledidiotrefusedtoattributetoMontesquieu，maintainingithadbeenwrittenbyamonk。HemightaswellhavesaidthataCapuchincreatedtheheavensandtheearth。

OnthedayfollowingMadamed’UrfeaskedmetodinewiththeChevalierd’Arzigny，amanupwardsofeighty，vain，foppish，andconsequentlyridiculous，knownas"TheLastoftheBeaus。"However，ashehadmovedinthecourtofLouisXIV。，hewasinterestingenough，speakingwithallthecourtesyoftheschool，andhavingafundofanecdoterelatingtotheCourtofthatdespoticandluxuriousmonarch。

Hisfolliesamusedmegreatly。Heusedrouge，hisclotheswerecutinthestylewhichobtainedinthedaysofMadamedeSevigne，heprofessedhimselfstillthedevotedloverofhismistress，withwhomhesuppedeverynightinthecompanyofhisladyfriends，whowereallyoungandalldelightful，andpreferredhissocietytoallothers；however，inspiteoftheseseductions，heremainedfaithfultohismistress。

TheChevalierd’Arzignyhadanamiabilityofcharacterwhichgavewhateverhesaidanappearanceoftruth，althoughinhiscapacityofcourtiertruthwasprobablyquiteunknowntohim。Healwaysworeabouquetofthemoststrongly—smellingflowers，suchastuberoses，jonquils，andSpanishjasmine；hiswigwasplastereddownwithamber—

scentedpomade，histeethweremadeofivory，andhiseyebrowsdyedandperfumed，andhiswholepersonexhaledanodourtowhichMadamed’Urfedidnotobject，butwhichIcouldscarcelybear。IfithadnotbeenforthisdrawbackIshouldprobablyhavecultivatedhissociety。HewasaprofessedEpicurean，andcarriedoutthesystemwithanamazingtranquillity。Hesaidthathewouldundertaketoreceivetwenty—fourblowswiththestickeverymorningontheconditionthatheshouldnotdiewithinthetwenty—fourhours，andthattheolderhegrewthemoreblowshewouldgladlysubmitto。

Thiswasbeinginlovewithlifewithavengeance。

AnotherdayIdinedwithM。Charon，whowasacounsellor，andinchargeofasuitbetweenMadamed’UrfeandherdaughterMadameduChatelet，whomshedislikedheartily。Theoldcounsellorhadbeenthefavouredloverofthemarchionessfortyyearsbefore，andhethoughthimselfboundbytheremembranceoftheirlove—passagestosupportthecauseofhisoldsweetheart。InthosedaysFrenchmagistratesthoughttheyhadarighttotakethesideoftheirfriends，orofpersonsinwhomtheyhadaninterest，sometimesforfriendship’ssake，andsometimesforamonetaryconsideration；theythought，infact，thattheywerejustifiedinsellingjustice。

M。Charonboredmeliketheothers，aswasnatural，consideringwehadnotwotastesincommon。

ThescenewaschangedthenextdaywhenIwasamusedwiththecompanyofM。deViarme，ayoungcounsellor，anephewofMadamed’Urfe’s，andhisprettyandcharmingwife。Hewastheauthorofthe"RemonstrancestotheKing，"aworkwhichgothimagreatreputation，andhadbeenreadeagerlybythewholetown。Hetoldmethatthebusinessofacounsellorwastoopposeeverythingdonebythecrown，goodandbad。Hisreasonsforthistheorywerethosegivenbyallminorities，andIdonotthinkIneedtroublemyreaderswiththem。

ThemostenjoyabledinnerIhadwaswithMadamedeGergi，whocamewiththefamousadventurer，knownbythenameoftheCountdeSt。

Germain。Thisindividual，insteadofeating，talkedfromthebeginningofthemealtotheend，andIfollowedhisexampleinonerespectasIdidnoteat，butlistenedtohimwiththegreatestattention。Itmaysafelybesaidthatasaconversationalisthewasunequalled。

St。Germaingavehimselfoutforamarvelandalwaysaimedatexcitingamazement，whichheoftensucceededindoing。Hewasscholar，linguist，musician，andchemist，good—looking，andaperfectladies’man。Forawhilehegavethempaintsandcosmetics；heflatteredthem，notthathewouldmakethemyoungagain（whichhemodestlyconfessedwasbeyondhim）butthattheirbeautywouldbepreservedbymeansofawashwhich，hesaid，costhimalotofmoney，butwhichhegaveawayfreely。

HehadcontrivedtogainthefavourofMadamedePompadour，whohadspokenabouthimtotheking，forwhomhehadmadealaboratory，inwhichthemonarch——amartyrtoboredom——triedtofindalittlepleasureordistraction，atallevents，bymakingdyes。ThekinghadgivenhimasuiteofroomsatChambord，andahundredthousandfrancsfortheconstructionofalaboratory，andaccordingtoSt。GermainthedyesdiscoveredbythekingwouldhaveamateriallybeneficialinfluenceonthequalityofFrenchfabrics。

Thisextraordinaryman，intendedbynaturetobethekingofimpostorsandquacks，wouldsayinaneasy，assuredmannerthathewasthreehundredyearsold，thatheknewthesecretoftheUniversalMedicine，thathepossessedamasteryovernature，thathecouldmeltdiamonds，professinghimselfcapableofforming，outoftenortwelvesmalldiamonds，onelargeoneofthefinestwaterwithoutanylossofweight。Allthis，hesaid，wasameretrifletohim。

Notwithstandinghisboastings，hisbare—facedlies，andhismanifoldeccentricities，IcannotsayIthoughthimoffensive。Inspiteofmyknowledgeofwhathewasandinspiteofmyownfeelings，Ithoughthimanastonishingmanashewasalwaysastonishingme。Ishallhavesomethingmoretosayofthischaracterfurtheron。

WhenMadamed’Urfehadintroducedmetoallherfriends，ItoldherthatIwoulddinewithherwhenevershewished，butthatwiththeexceptionofherrelationsandSt。Germain，whosewildtalkamusedme，Ishouldpreferhertoinvitenocompany。St。Germainoftendinedwiththebestsocietyinthecapital，butheneverateanything，sayingthathewaskeptalivebymysteriousfoodknownonlytohimself。Onesoongotusedtohiseccentricities，butnottohiswonderfulflowofwordswhichmadehimthesoulofwhatevercompanyhewasin。

BythistimeIhadfathomedallthedepthsofMadamed’Urfe’scharacter。Shefirmlybelievedmetobeanadeptofthefirstorder，makinguseofanothernameforpurposesofmyown；andfiveorsixweekslatershewasconfirmedinthiswildideaonheraskingmeifI

haddicipheredthemanuscriptwhichpretendedtoexplaintheMagnumOpus。

"Yes，"saidI，"Ihavedecipheredit，andconsequentlyreadit，andI

nowbegtoreturnityouwithmywordofhonourthatIhavenotmadeacopy；infact，IfoundnothinginitthatIdidnotknowbefore。"

"Withoutthekeyyoumean，butofcourseyoucouldneverfindoutthat。"

"ShallItellyouthekey？"

"Praydoso。"

Igavehertheword，whichbelongedtonolanguagethatIknowof，andthemarchionesswasquitethunderstruck。

"Thisistooamazing，"saidshe；"Ithoughtmyselfthesolepossessorofthatmysteriousword——forIhadneverwrittenitdown，layingitupinmymemory——andIamsureIhavenevertoldanyoneofit。"

Imighthaveinformedherthatthecalculationwhichenabledmetodecipherthemanuscriptfurnishedmealsowiththekey，butthewhimtookmetotellherthataspirithadrevealedittome。Thisfoolishtalecompletedmymasteryoverthistrulylearnedandsensiblewomanoneverythingbutherhobby。ThisfalseconfidencegavemeanimmenseascendancyoverMadamed’Urfe，andIoftenabusedmypoweroverher。NowthatIamnolongerthevictimofthoseillusionswhichpursuedmethroughoutmylife，Iblushattheremembranceofmyconduct，andthepenanceIimposeonmyselfistotellthewholetruth，andtoextenuatenothingintheseMemoirs。

Thewildestnotioninthegoodmarchioness’sbrainwasafirmbeliefinthepossibilityofcommunicationbetweenmortalsandelementaryspirits。Shewouldhavegivenallhergoodstoattaintosuchcommunication，andshehadseveraltimesbeendeceivedbyimpostorswhomadeherbelievethatsheattainedheraim。

"Ididnotthink，"saidshe，sadly，"thatyourspiritwouldhavebeenabletoforceminetorevealmysecrets。"

"Therewasnoneedtoforceyourspirit，madam，asmineknowsallthingsofhisownpower。"

"Doesheknowtheinmostsecretsofmysoul？"

"Certainly，andifIaskhimheisforcedtodisclosealltome。"

"Canyouaskhimwhenyoulike？"

"Oh，yes！providedIhavepaperandink。Icanevenaskhimquestionsthroughyoubytellingyouhisname。"

"Andwillyoutellitme？"

"IcandowhatIsay；and，toconvinceyou，hisnameisParalis。Askhimasimplequestioninwriting，asyouwouldaskacommonmortal。

Askhim，forinstance，howIdecipheredyourmanuscript，andyoushallseeIwillcompelhimtoansweryou。"

Tremblingwithjoy，Madamed’Urfeputherquestion，expresseditinnumbers，thenfollowingmymethodinpyramidshape；andImadeherextracttheanswer，whichshewrotedowninletters。Atfirstsheonlyobtainedconsonants，butbyasecondprocesswhichsuppliedthevowelsshereceivedaclearandsufficientanswer。Hereveryfeatureexpressedastonishment，forshehaddrawnfromthepyramidthewordwhichwasthekeytohermanuscript。Ilefther，carryingwithmeherheart，hersoul，hermind，andallthecommonsensewhichshehadleft。

CHAPTERIV

AbsurdIdeasofMadameD’UrfeonMySupernaturalPowers——MarriageofMyBrother——IConceiveaPlanonHisWeddingDay——IGotoHollandonaFinancialMission——TheJewBoazGivesMeaLesson——M。d’Afri——

Esther——AnotherCasanova——IFindThereseImerAgainBythetimethatthePrinceduTurennehadrecoveredfromthesmall—

poxandtheCountdelaTourd’Auvergnehadlefthim，thelatter，knowinghisaunt’stastefortheoccultsciences，wasnotsurprisedtofindmebecomeherconfidentandmostintimatefriend。

Iwasgladsoseehimandalltherelationsofthemarchionessatdinner，asIwasdelightedwiththecourtesywithwhichtheytreatedme。IamreferringmoreespeciallytoherbrothersMM。dePont—CarreanddeViarmewhohadlatelybeenchosenheadofthetradecompanies，andhisson。IhavealreadyspokenofMadameduChatelet，themarchioness’sdaughter，butanunluckylawsuitseparatedthem，andshenolongerformedoneofthefamilycircle。

DelaTourd’AuvergnehavingbeenobligedtorejoinhisregimentwhichwasingarrisoninBrittany，themarchionessandIdinedtogetheralmosteverydayandpeoplelookeduponmeasherhusband，anddespitetheimprobabilityofthesuppositionthiswastheonlywayinwhichtheycouldaccountforthelonghourswespenttogether。

Madamed’UrfethoughtthatIwasrichandlookeduponmypositionatthelotteryasameredeviceforpreservingmyincognito。

Iwasthepossessorinherestimation，notonlyofthephilosopher’sstone，butalsoofthepowerofspeakingwiththewholehostofelementaryspirits；fromwhichpremisesshedrewtheverylogicaldeductionthatIcouldturntheworldupsidedownifIliked，andbetheblessingortheplagueofFrance；andshethoughtmyobjectinremainingincognitowastoguardmyselffromarrestandimprisonment；

whichaccordingtoherwouldbetheinevitableresultoftheminister’sdiscoveringmyrealcharacter。Thesewildnotionswerethefruitofthenocturnalrevelationsofhergenius，thatis，ofthedreamsofherdisorderedspirit，whichseemedtoherrealities。ShedidnotseemtothinkthatifIwasendowedasshesupposednoonewouldhavebeenabletoarrestme，inthefirstplace，becauseI

shouldhavehadforeknowledgeoftheattempt，andinthesecondplacebecausemypowerwouldhavebeentoostrongforallboltsandbars。

Allthiswasclearenough，butstrongpassionandprejudicecannotreason。

Oneday，inthecourseofconversation，shesaid，withtheutmostseriousness，thathergeniushadadvisedherthatnotevenIhadpowertogiveherspeechwiththespirits，sinceshewasawoman，andthegeniionlycommunicatedwithmen，whosenatureismoreperfect。

Nevertheless，byaprocesswhichwaswellknowntome，Imightmakehersoulpassintothebodyofamalechildbornofthemysticconnectionbetweenamortalandanimmortal，or，inotherwords，betweenanordinarymanandawomanofadivinenature。

IfIhadthoughtitpossibletoleadbackMadamed’UrfetotherightuseofhersensesIwouldhavemadetheattempt，butIfeltsurethatherdiseasewaswithoutremedy，andtheonlycoursebeforemeseemedtoabetherinherravingsandtoprofitbythem。

IfIhadspokenoutlikeanhonestmanandtoldherthathertheorieswerenonsensical，shewouldnothavebelievedme；shewouldhavethoughtmejealousofherknowledge，andIshouldhavelostherfavourwithoutanygaintoherortomyself。Ithusletthingstaketheircourse，andtospeakthetruthIwasflatteredtoseemyselftreatedasoneofthemostprofoundbrothersoftheRosyCross，asthemostpowerfulofmenbysodistinguishedalady，whowasinhighreputeforherlearning，whoentertainedandwasrelatedtothefirstfamiliesofFrance，andhadanincomeofeightythousandfrancs，asplendidestate，andseveralmagnificenthousesinParis。Iwasquitesurethatshewouldrefusemenothing，andthoughIhadnodefiniteplanofprofitingbyherwealthIexperiencedacertainpleasureatthethoughtthatIcoulddosoifIwould。

Inspiteofherimmensefortuneandherbeliefinherabilitytomakegold，Madamed’Urfewasmiserlyinherhabits，forsheneverspentmorethanthirtythousandfrancsinayear，andsheinvestedhersavingsintheexchange，andinthiswayhadnearlydoubledthem。A

brotherusedtobuyherinGovernmentsecuritiesattheirlowestrateandsellattheirrise，andinthismanner，beingabletowaitfortheirrise，andfall，shehadamassedaconsiderablesum。

Shehadtoldmemorethanoncethatshewouldgiveallshepossessedtobecomeaman，andthatsheknewIcoulddothisforherifI

would。Oneday，asshewasspeakingtomeonthissubjectinatoneofpersuasionalmostirresistible，ItoldherthatImustconfessI

hadthepowertodowhatshewanted，butthatIcouldnotmakeupmymindtoperformtheoperationuponherasIshouldhavetokillherfirst。Ithoughtthiswouldeffectuallycheckherwishtogoanyfurther，butwhatwasmysurprisetohearhersay，"Iknowthat，andwhatismoreIknowthedeathIshallhavetodie；

butforallthatIamready。"

"What，then，isthatdeath，madam？"

"ItisbythesamepoisonwhichkilledParacelsus。"

"DoyouthinkthatParacelsusobtainedthehypostasis？"

"No，butIknowthereasonofhisnotdoingso。"

"Whatisthereason？"

"Itisthathewasneithermanorwoman，andacompositenatureisincapableofthehypostasis，toobtainwhichonemustbeeithertheoneortheother。"

"Verytrue，butdoyouknowhowtomakethepoison，andthatthethingisimpossiblewithouttheaidofasalamander？"

"Thatmayormaynotbe！IbeseechyoutoenquireoftheoraclewhethertherebeanyoneinParisinpossessionofthispotion。"

Itwaseasytoseethatshethoughtherselfinpossessionofit，soI

hadnohesitationinextractinghernamefromtheoracularpyramid。

Ipretendedtobeastonishedattheanswer，butshesaidboastfully，"Youseethatallwewantisamalechildbornofanimmortal。This，Iamadvised，willbeprovidedbyyou；andIdonotthinkyouwillbefoundwantingoutofafoolishpityforthispooroldbodyofmine。"

AtthesewordsIrosean