My Library

mirror, along the floor, over the ceiling, up and down the walls; now like forks, then as chains of electric fluid; anon changing to fiery acorns, which gradually formed themselves into a fiery crown, rose gently, floated over the company for a few seconds, and then rested in the air about five inches above the head of Napoleon III.—a crown of fire! “ ‘Mind,’ said he, after this splendid proof of his weird ability, ‘I do not aver that all the phenomena exhibited in these days as spiritual are produced as I have these; but I do say that not one-tenth part is attributable to spiritual agencies. That which is indeed spiritual is not all the product of dead men, but much of it proceeds from the Larvæ and inhabitants of the spaces between the rolling globes.’ “Then turning to me, he repeated his invitation to become an acolyte of the Temple; said we should meet again; and shortly thereafter the séance broke up, and I left the palace, greatly wiser than when I entered it five hours before. “Calling a voiture de remise, I entered it and rode home to my hotel. Arrived there, I dismounted beneath the glare of a street lamp, and drew forth my pocket-book to pay my fare. On opening it, what was my surprise at finding a letter, closely sealed, within it, directed to myself. I paid the coachman, hastened to my chamber, and then, eagerly tearing the