This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1897 edition. Excerpt: ...than usual, submitted it to the fire of the brazier. As the leaping flames seized on the beautiful lock, von Marx, as if repenting such a sacrifice, drew it hastily away. A small portion of the crisped hair, however, adhered to the brazier, but no sound of invocation moved the magician's lips. The lights were again sinking, and the neophytes shrank back, trembling and disturbed, when a blast of cold air rushed through the apartment, a deep-drawn sigh resounded in our ears, and the lights flashed up for a moment disclosing what seemed to be the form of the Chevalier de B extended on a visionary couch, apparently in a deep sleep. It was the first time the apparition of a slumbering "flying soul" had been amongst us, and as the Chevalier had often thus spiritually visited and communicated with us before, we attributed his present enhancement to the professor's failure in fulfilling the conditions of evocation. Yet we all beheld him plainly, and sympathized with the professor as he bent over his adopted son's form with apparent sentiments of rapt interest and admiration. "Waken him!" whispered Sir Peter S. "We would speak with him." "Not for worlds!" murmured the professor, extending his arms towards the vision. "He will waken all too soon. Sleep on, my Louis, and--farewell!" In an instant a strange, distant cry seemed to resound through the apartment, and the form of the sleeper started up and seemed to cast itself into the professor's arms. Something of an indescribable character that 1 have never seen or realized in any other presence than that of these Germans, then seemed to cast a spell over us all, preventing us for the moment, from seeing, hearing, or collecting our thoughts. It has often been repeated in the presence of the Chevalier de B,...
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