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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/76623-0.txt b/76623-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..12eacd0 --- /dev/null +++ b/76623-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,1757 @@ + +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 76623 *** + + + + + + The Carnal God + + By JOHN R. SPEER and CARLISLE SCHNITZER + + _A strange and thrilling story about a golden image + that was instinct with evil life, and the terrible + weird fire that burned with the cold of outer space._ + + [Transcriber's Note: This etext was produced from + Weird Tales June 1937. + Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that + the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.] + + + _1. The Dreadful Face_ + +On starless nights when the moon was obscured by the earth's shadow, +Pierre Soret walked alone down the darkest and most deserted streets in +London. He did this to avoid the people who might look into his face. +His face! He shuddered, his pinched shoulders wrenching sharply with +a bitter shrug. Could anyone call this mask, this unearthly mass of +bubbling flesh, boiling and seething in his own blood, a face? + +Pierre knew what always happened when people looked into his +torture-shattered eyes. The sight of their horror sickened him. His +memory ached with the sharpness of pain he had felt on those few +occasions when some luckless persons had inadvertently seen, and +halted, frozen momentarily with the intense horror and nausea that +overwhelmed them, their faces graven with revulsion; a moment later to +totter rapidly past him down the street, the tension of their feeling +released with an effort that ended in a sob of hysteria and fear. + +The route Pierre took upon these nights was always the same. With +his long black opera cape and moth-eaten topper, he stalked through +the streets like some villain from an old Drury Lane melodrama. "A +quaint old man who has refused to leave his yesterdays," people might +remark, if they did not see his face. Pierre gave no heed to the few +people he passed, except to draw the cape quickly about his face if +they approached him too near under the eery, fog-filtered glare of the +street lamps. + +At Nigh Street, Pierre's bent figure paused wearily before he started +up the hill. A few yards from the corner, he paused again, staring +at the yellow lines of light cutting the fog and issuing from the +slit-like windows of the beautiful home of the Countess Donella +Moonard. In the thick mists, the house, impressively large and of +Egyptian architecture, resembled a temple of Black Magic veiled in +oppressive incense. The yellow slits glowered steadily and ominously. +What brilliance and exotic color lay within! + +It was late, but not all of the Countess Moonard's guests had departed. +This would be the first party of the new season; trust her to make it +gay and unusual. + +Pierre walked slowly forward, muttering to himself. His shoulders +brushed the low, ivy-covered wall surrounding the estate. He was +nearing the entrance to the garden. Above the gate in the wall, an +ancient gas torch flickered, casting a ghastly light that might have +come from the most ancient tombs along the Blue Nile. + +"The fools!" he mumbled bitterly. "If I could only tell them what she +really is!" + +Within a few feet of the entrance, he paused again, resentfully. +Was it his fault that the curse of many years before had made him +an outcast from the very society that now applauded the brilliant +Countess Moonard? He thrust back his cape. How good this musty dampness +felt! For weeks he had not been outside his home. His lungs cried +out in rebellion, cried greedily for deeper and deeper drafts of the +refreshing breath of night. The Countess Moonard! His hatred flamed +higher. Her guests ... fools! What would happen if he were to walk into +that gay party scene, drop his cape from about his face, and tell them +that---- + + * * * * * + +Suddenly he paused; the pale, frightened face of a beautiful girl was +confronting him in the dim flare of the gas torch. It was too late to +draw the folds of his cape about his face. The girl had already seen +the sickening sight, and a stifled cry rose from her lovely throat. + +"Oh, Carl!" she stammered weakly, clutching the shoulder of the tall, +handsome young man who stood beside her. + +"Ruth! Dearest--what----?" The young man was puzzled until he saw +Pierre's face. + +Usually when Pierre saw that he had frightened someone with the sight +of his horrible features, he turned and ran away, rather than suffer +the indignity of an apology--but something about this girl made him +linger. It was a small diamond-studded pendant that hung from about +her slim white throat. In that, Pierre saw the unmistakable sign of +death and despair that always cast its shadow upon the throats of the +Countess Moonard's victims. The girl was marked! + +From the girl's face, Pierre turned to the young man. He looked into +his eyes and saw there the familiar terror that always spread across +the faces of those who looked upon him. + +A long moment of silence passed. The girl turned from him, covering +her face with her hands and clinging tightly to the young man, who now +stared at Pierre with growing inquisitiveness. + +"I'm sorry," Pierre finally said. + +The young man tried to look pleasant. He was an intelligent young +doctor, and although the sight of Pierre had upset him, he was quickly +regaining his poise. + +"Sorry? What for?" he asked. + +"My face, if it frightened you. It usually does." Pierre tried to smile. + +"Oh, yes, of course!" Carl spoke with more assurance now. The girl on +his arm was still trembling. Neither Carl nor the girl wore wraps; they +had been wandering through the gardens of the Countess Moonard's estate +in preference to dancing. + +"Ruth, dearest, don't allow this to affect you." He patted her shoulder +gently. "I say, old man, you gave her an awful fright. I don't wish to +be unkind, but you really are enough to frighten anyone." + +Curiosity was fast overcoming Doctor Carl Fielding's fear. He looked +closer into Pierre's face. + +"Are those boils or burns--or what? How long have you been afflicted +this way?" + +"Ten years." + +"Indeed? It is rather difficult to see here in this poor light, but +something should be done about your face. As a plastic surgeon, I would +recommend that you----" + +"Permit an operation?" Pierre interrupted. "Young man, modern surgery +cannot do anything for my case." + +"I disagree with you. Surely you would be willing to give me a chance? +This must be horrible, going about frightening people. Or do you enjoy +nearly scaring young women to death? My fiancée is still trembling!" + +Carl removed a handkerchief from his pocket. "Here, Ruth, stop crying, +and use this. The boogy man isn't going to get you. What am I going to +marry anyway, a cry-baby?" + +"I'm not crying!" she protested indignantly. "It was just the sudden +shock of--well, you and I walking along, and then suddenly to----" + +She turned to Pierre, but did not look directly into his face. + +"Really I am sorry if I offended you." + +"Oh, no, no; it is I who should apologize." Pierre's voice trembled +with gratitude. "You are very kind--both of you. I was quite careless +tonight. Usually I am more thoughtful of people. You see it is not +pleasant to----" + +He was looking at her throat. If this young man would listen! But +no, it was impossible. No one would believe the story of the diamond +pendant. + +Pierre said stiffly: "I really thank you for your kindness, and I am +sorry if I have spoiled your evening. Good night!" + +He turned and started to hurry away. + +"Oh, but wait a minute," Carl called to him. "I really meant what I +said about your face. I think I can do something for you. Won't you +take my card and call at my office? At least you can tell me what +caused this awful affliction." + +Pierre quietly accepted the card that was handed to him. He thrust it +quickly into the pocket of his vest. Doctor Fielding noticed that the +man's hands were as hideous as his face. + +"You think you would like to know what afflicted me?" Pierre said with +a trace of bitterness. "I wonder if you would believe me if I told you." + +"I would have to," Carl answered. + +Pierre waited a moment before he said abruptly: "I see you have been to +the Countess Moonard's party. Do you know her well?" + +"As well as most people know the mysterious Countess Donella Moonard," +Carl laughed. "Does anyone really know her? Surely you are not +acquainted with the Countess?" + +Pierre did not answer his question, but said directly: "Young man, I +will accept the invitation to call at your office. I never go about in +the daylight, but if you would be there sometime in the----" + +"Make it tomorrow evening. I'll be there until midnight," Carl said +quickly. + +"Very well, but I do not come because I think that you can do anything +for me." + +He looked at Ruth again. Self-consciously she put her hands to her +throat. + +Pierre added significantly: "Perhaps I may be able to help _you_. If +there are no stars or moonlight, I will call on you." + +"I don't understand. What does the absence of stars and moonlight have +to do with your calling on me?" + +"I will explain that later. If I may offer a word of advice to the +young lady, I am sure I might save both of you from----" Pierre +faltered. So much to explain, so much that was unexplainable! How +could he hope that these two young people would believe him? + +"You were about to say----?" Ruth looked interested. + +"You have made a foolish bargain with someone. The price you will pay +is too high. But it grows late, and I am sure there is little I can say +to you just now. Perhaps I have said too much already. Until we meet +again, I bid you good evening!" Pierre removed his hat, and bowed in a +low sweeping movement. + + * * * * * + +Ruth could not restrain her gasp of horror as she saw the man's head. +It was scarred and smelled strongly of burning hair. He had forgotten +that he should not remove his hat. Mumbling an embarrassed apology, +Pierre hurried into the darkness beyond the gate. + +"Carl, did you see his hair? The man looked as if he had been horribly +burned!" Ruth cried when he was gone. + +"The most awful-looking man I have ever seen. All your fault too; you +would insist on walking in the night air. Why did we have to walk all +the way around the garden? The Countess' parties always do this to you, +Ruth. They give you the craziest ideas." + +"Then you do remember what she prophesied tonight!" Ruth exclaimed. +"Really, isn't it uncanny? Tonight the Countess told me that I would +take a new step in my life; something would happen that would change +everything for me. She said it would begin with a horrible fright. And +I was frightened, Carl. Do you suppose----" + +"Suppose nothing!" Carl replied with some exasperation. "The Countess +and her fake prophecies are without weight to me. You women are always +falling for the ways of some old crone with a crystal or a deck of +cards in her hand. Besides, she may have planted that old man in our +path tonight just to make her claims more convincing. How do we know +but that all of that horrible appearance was not just so much clever +make-up?" + +"I know it wasn't." + +"How do you know?" + +"I just do, Carl." She smiled at him. "I believe everything the +Countess has told me. But, come, dearest, we must be returning to the +party." + +She took his hand, and turned back to the garden. Carl followed +reluctantly. + +"Ruth, I wish you would give up your devotion to the Countess and her +mad religion, or whatever it is. I don't like it. You've changed since +you have taken her so seriously. First thing I know you'll be a convert +to her--oh, what do you call it--moon worship?" + +She stopped and turned to him; her voice was strange and final in its +tone. "Carl, I am already a convert. The religion of Moonere has given +me everything I want in life. Soon I will take the sacred vows of its +followers." + +"You can't. I won't have it, I tell you. Oh, Ruth, surely you can't +believe in this preposterous, this unnatural faith? I don't know what +hellish power the Countess may have over you; but I do know that it +isn't natural for a normal girl, reared as you have been, suddenly to +accept a faith that even a heathen would sneer at! And I'm going to----" + +Carl was interrupted by the unheralded appearance of one of the +Countess Moonard's swarthy-skinned Egyptian servants. The man, tall and +sinisterly handsome, was dressed like all the Countess' menials; he +wore the brief, exotic attire of a slave in an ancient court or temple. +The servant bowed his head and made a peculiar sign which Ruth seemed +to understand. + +"The Countess desires to see you, most lovely maiden of the Temple of +Moonere," the servant said solemnly. + +"Maiden of the temple of Moonere!" Carl could not restrain his disgust. +"You tell your mistress I am taking Ruth home; and that if she wants to +see anyone about her insane religion, she may consult me." + +The servant did not answer him, but his eyes narrowed into slits of +cruelty and hatred. His lips curled contemptuously. + +"Nilathar, I will follow you to the priestess," Ruth said, ignoring +Carl's threat to take her home. + +"Ruth!" Carl pulled her to his side. "I'm not going to let you stay +here alone. You've got to listen to me." + +The servant broke Carl's grasp about Ruth's wrist, and pushed him from +her. + +"No one is to restrain a maiden of the temple when the priestess +calls," he said, standing between Ruth and Carl. + +"Why, you----" Carl lunged at the Egyptian, who quickly drew a knife. +The blade pressed against Carl's vest, and seemed only too eager to +press further. The servant smiled in mock courtesy. + +"The guests are departing. The Countess sends you her regrets, for she +is retiring with her faithful maidens," the servant said coldly. "Your +coat and hat will be brought to you." + + * * * * * + +Carl was furious, but a length of glittering steel in obviously adept +and determined hands is a deterrent to the most courageous, and will +instill restraint and judgment in the most foolhardy. What perplexed +Carl also left him with a feeling of helplessness--Ruth's apparent +lack of consideration of his danger. This was not like the girl he had +known since his early childhood; the girl who would have fought like +a tigress anyone who might have threatened Carl. Now she ignored him +entirely, as if it meant nothing to her that his encounter with the +servant might have proved fatal for him. He turned to make one final +plea to Ruth. She was gone. + +When his coat and hat were brought to him, he took them and said +with an ironic smile, "Tell the Countess I am overwhelmed with her +hospitality. She must call on me some day." + +Beneath the surface of Carl's polite departure swirled an undercurrent +of bewildered resentment. There was nothing natural about Ruth's +acceptance of the faith of Moonerism, whatever that was. Carl's +thoughts of the entire evening moved rapidly back to the hideous old +man they had met at the garden entrance; he recalled his words of +advice to Ruth: "You have made a foolish bargain with someone. The +price you will pay is too high." + +That old man must have sensed Ruth's intention to follow this strange +religion; he knew more about the Countess Moonard than he pretended. +But what? Nothing about the entire evening made sense. Ruth had become +a stranger to him, a beautiful stranger. The characterization seemed +significant, though in what way he could not fathom. Ruth had always +been an attractive girl, but recently he had found her beauty violently +compelling. And tonight, the strange new depths of her beauty had +made him marvel; it was a beauty of coldness and austerity, and it +frightened him. Ruth, the Ruth he knew, was and must be beautiful, but +never cold, never cruelly elusive. + +Something was happening to Ruth, something that was taking her away +from him. And that was not permissible. Carl Fielding did not allow +what he loved and wanted to be taken away from him. The Countess had +something to do with it, and he would fight her; but he must learn +something about her, the strange power she exercised over Ruth and the +other converts. + +Carl settled restlessly back into the interior of his car, musing +over the strange events of the evening. Who might know anything about +the Countess Moonard, other than her converts, whose lips were always +sealed with secrecy? + +Although it was a slim hope, there was his old friend, Inspector +Chadwick of Scotland Yard. Perhaps the eccentric detective would be +able to assist him. + + + _2. A Weird Disappearance_ + +Early the next day, Inspector Chadwick looked up from his desk to +behold the troubled features of Doctor Carl Fielding. Carl had not +slept the night before, and his worry showed plainly on his face. +Chadwick leaned back in his swivel-chair, and greeted him in a tone of +mock seriousness. + +"So you've come to confess? Well, turn over the jewels, and I'll see +that they make it easy for you. I'll recommend hanging at the earliest +possible date. How are you, Doc? Haven't seen you since last spring. +Been intending to get around to your office for a little chat. Heard +you were engaged to be married. And from the looks of that long face +of yours, you must already be hitched. Sit down, put your feet on the +desk, smoke my cigars, and I'll even go so far as to offer you a good +drink of brandy just to show you my heart's in the right place." + +This was Chadwick's manner of treating everyone. He ran a continuous +flow of conversation, annoying his subject with the enforced silence; +but from this silence Chadwick often learned more than if he had +permitted him to talk. Inspector Chadwick could see that Carl had not +come to him for just a friendly visit. + +Carl sat down heavily, and looked at the smiling, round face of his +friend. He scarcely heard any of Chadwick's rattling greeting. + +"I thought I would--er----" Carl started to break into the Inspector's +incessant flow of chatter. + +"Ask me to lend you five pounds?" Chadwick went right on talking. +"There was a man in here the other day, had one glass eye, and one good +eye. He offered to give me either one as security for a slight loan. +You look like a sick canary. What have you been doing to yourself? I +always said doctors were poor advertisements for their remedies. Try +this brandy; it might put a little color into your face. Good idea +there! I'll play doctor, and you be the inspector for a while. If this +Crayton case keeps up any longer, I'm going to be a first-class medico +anyway. You know, it's one of those very technical points; all about +this and that. Practically have to understand medicine to get any sense +out of the thing. Should be right up your alley. How do you like my +American speech? Notice I talk more like an American than I do a loyal +subject of the king? Need that effect. Been working on terms, tones, +pronunciations. Oh, so much to change! How about having dinner with me?" + +"See here, Chadwick, will you be quiet for a minute, and let me talk?" +Carl finally blurted out. + +Chadwick threw back his head and laughed, a hearty laugh that shook +his broad shoulders and made his face redder than it already was. "Oh, +so you want to talk? Well, well, fancy that! All right, Doc; you talk, +and I'll listen. But if it's about me being best man at your wedding, +that's off. I don't look right in formal dress. When is the wedding, by +the way?" + +"Unless I get some help, there may not be any wedding." Carl looked +soberly at him. + +"Help?" Chadwick laughed again. "What do you want me to do, persuade +the girl to marry you? I thought you had already proposed." + +"Chadwick, did you ever hear of a religious cult known as Moonerism?" +Carl ignored his friend's attempt at humor. + +Chadwick became serious almost immediately. + +"The Countess Donella Moonard?" he asked. + +"Yes. Ruth, the girl I'm going to marry, has suddenly been seized with +a desire to become one of her followers. Chadwick, there's something +uncanny about the Countess and her religion. You probably know more +about her activities than anyone else in London. So I----" + +"I'm afraid I know very little." Chadwick rose from his chair, and +walked restlessly about the office. The religion of Moonerism had +been brought to the attention of Scotland Yard once before; however, +investigation of the Countess Moonard had only revealed that she +believed in a religion having to do with certain astral and planetary +bodies. Those who gave themselves up to its teachings never revealed +the secrets; and those who tried to learn more were either converted or +by some strange manner suddenly and for ever frightened from attempting +to obtain further knowledge. + +"Surely there is something we could do about it." Carl began walking +back and forth with his friend. "You know how I feel about Ruth's +acceptance of such a strange faith. Besides, Chadwick, I have reason to +believe that--well----" + +The words stuck in his throat. He could not bring himself to believe +that the Countess or anyone else really had supernatural powers; +furthermore what he was beginning to suspect was beyond belief. + +"Doc, there's really nothing we can do about this, except to try and +persuade your fiancée to use better judgment. There are many strange +religious cults in London. As long as they do not break any of our +laws, we cannot stop them. No one has ever found out enough about +the Countess and her beliefs to justify a thorough investigation. +Her following is comparatively small, mostly beautiful women--very +beautiful women." + +"That's just it," Carl said excitedly. "All of them are beautiful and +young in appearance. The Countess herself--she must be seventy if she's +a day, but look at her. Her face is ageless. Chadwick, you know that +I would be the last person in the world to waste time over foolish +beliefs in the supernatural; yet--well, I've noticed that Ruth has +become--different. I see it in her face, in her actions, in----" + +"Of course you do. All those religions require a certain amount of +fanatical devotion. Ruth is young and impressionable. Perhaps if you +took her away for a while?" + +"But that's just it! She seems to move as if controlled by another +mind. Last night I was almost stabbed trying to keep her from staying +with the Countess, and the affair left her entirely unimpressed with my +danger." + +"Stabbed?" + +"Yes, by one of the Countess' servants. Look, Chadwick, you are clever +at obtaining secrets. Why can't you work on this, and really find out +what happens to those who take up Moonerism?" + +"I know what happens. They follow it to their death. Apparently they +lead normal lives outside of their activities within the temple. What +can Scotland Yard do about that? Today people have a right to worship +as they please, you know." + +"Oh, you don't grasp what I mean. I think there is something beyond +the ordinary enchantment of a strange religious faith. Call it what +you will, the Countess Donella Moonard has a power over the few people +she contacts; and that power is transforming Ruth from a lovely girl +into----" Carl shuddered. + +"Come, come, Doc. You're allowing this too much importance. I will +admit the acceptance of the religion is bad enough; but after all, I +know of at least fifty prominent women, in good society, who believe in +Moonerism. They are not faring so badly." + + * * * * * + +The telephone on Inspector Chadwick's desk began ringing impatiently. +He picked up the phone. + +"This is Inspector Chadwick." He smiled at Carl. "You say you want to +speak to Doctor Fielding? Why, of course. He's right here in my office." + +"No one knew I was here. Who----" Carl took the phone with an +expression of puzzled fear. "Ruth! Yes, dearest. At once. Of course. +Please try to control yourself. I'll be there as quickly as I can." + +He banged the receiver down, and turned to Chadwick. "Ruth calling me. +She's talking strangely. Said someone put your phone number in her +mind. She wants me at once. Come with me, Chadwick. Something's wrong." + +"I'm on my way now!" Chadwick followed Carl out of the office. + +Reaching Ruth's apartment in record time, Carl was startled by the look +of fear in her eyes. She looked as if she had just been awakened from a +horrible nightmare, as she stood before him in her negligee; her light +brown hair, usually so well-brushed and sleek, was now a wild mass of +disorder. + +"Oh, Carl! Carl! What has happened to me? Where have I been?" She ran +to his arms. + +"Why, Ruth, don't you remember? I left you last night at the Countess +Moonard's. You insisted upon staying." + +"Yes, yes, I remember that. Then I went to sleep. The Countess said----" + +Her eyes closed. She seemed about to faint. + +"She said what?" Carl took her shoulders between his hands and shook +her anxiously. "Ruth, what did she say?" + +Ruth's eyes opened. The fear came into them again, and she began crying +hysterically. "Oh, it can't be! Carl, I'm lost! Lost!" she sobbed. + +"Ruth, you must get a grip on yourself and tell us what happened." + +Carl led her to a chair, into which she dropped, limp and helpless. +Suddenly she started talking again, her eyes staring widely. + +"I don't know. I don't remember what happened after I fell asleep at +the Countess'. I should remember. I want to remember what she said +to me, and I'm afraid now. I awoke here in my room. I heard a voice +calling to me. There was no one here, no one with a voice like the one +that was calling me. It's calling now! It's warning me, Carl, warning +me not to go on. Listen! I can hear it so plainly. It's a voice--a +voice like that old man's. The old man with the horrible face, and +eyes, and--oh, Carl, Carl, what did I do? Now there are two voices. The +Countess is telling me to come back--to sleep, to sleep. And that old +man is saying: 'Don't listen to her; listen to me. I am your master. +Moonere will take your soul to a hell beyond hell!'" + +Her voice broke with uncontrollable sobbing. She began babbling +insanely. + +"There's nothing I can do for her now, except to quiet her," Carl said +finally. "She needs sleep. A sedative, and perhaps we can get her mind +back to normal." + +Under Carl's care, Ruth was soon asleep; although her body convulsed +with sudden spasms of fear that came even through her slumber, as if +she were defending herself from unseen demons who were dragging her +away. Gently closing the door of her bedroom, he returned to talk with +Chadwick. + +While Carl had been inducing her to sleep, Chadwick had discovered a +small necklace upon the carpet. It looked as if it had been torn from +someone's throat with great violence. + +"Ever see this before?" Chadwick held the glittering pendant out to +Carl. + +"Why, yes. Ruth was wearing it last night. It is something new she +picked up." + +"No, nothing new about this." Chadwick shook his head. "This is the +symbol of Moonerism. I've seen them before. Never this close, however. +Notice the pendant?" + +For the first time, Carl observed the pendant closely. It was oval, +about two inches and a half long, about an inch and a half wide, and +apparently of some onyx-like substance. It glowed with an unearthly, +blue-black light, faint but perceptible. At the upper side, and a +little to the right, a small glittering stone was set; a stone that +glowed as if it were imbued with some cruel, radiant life. From this +stone, a thin line of light traced downward to the lower center of the +oval, where another and larger stone was set. When the thin line of +light reached this second sphere, it grew brighter and engulfed it in a +consuming glow. + +"Feel this thing," Chadwick said, handing it to Carl. + +"Why, it's cold as ice!" Carl gasped. + +"Wonder what that design means?" Chadwick took the necklace back again. +"You know, Doc, it looks to me as if the Countess Moonard is going to +be thoroughly investigated this time. As soon as Ruth awakens, we must +try to get more information from her. No doubt she was hypnotized. But +this old man she speaks of----" + +"I know who she means. I'll tell you about him; but first, I want to +take another look at her. I think I had better get a nurse, and----" + +Carl was moving to the bedroom as he spoke. When he opened the door, he +let out a cry: "She's gone!" + +"What!" Inspector Chadwick made his way to the door in two leaps. + +A hasty search of the room and the adjoining bath revealed nothing. The +open window with the curtains blowing lazily was their only clue. + +"Kidnapped!" whistled Chadwick. "Now this _is_ a case for Scotland +Yard. Come on; we're going to pay a visit to the Countess." + +They were hurrying for the door when the telephone in the hallway began +ringing. + +"Answer it." Chadwick turned upon his heels. "May be important." + +The voice Carl heard over the telephone made his face suddenly pale. +It was the voice of Pierre Soret, saying: "Doctor Fielding, you must +trust the fate of your fiancée to me. She is being taken back to the +Temple of Moonere, but do not permit any rash blunders by the police to +interfere. Her life will pay the penalty. I am your friend. Wait until +tonight, and I will come to your office, if the stars permit." + + + _3. The Cult of Moonere_ + +Doctor Fielding looked from his watch to the window of his office, +opening upon a black velvet night. He had encountered considerable +difficulty in restraining Inspector Chadwick from going at once to the +Countess Moonard's home in search of Ruth. Now he was further annoyed +by the torture of doubt. Had he been foolish in obeying the voice--the +voice of an old man he had seen only once before? Perhaps the telephone +call had only been a trick to delay the rescue of Ruth. That could be, +for it was very late, and there was no sign of the old man, although +the sky was without a twinkle of starlight. + +The telephone on his desk disturbed his thoughts with its jangling +ring. He answered impatiently; it would be Inspector Chadwick calling +again to find out if the mysterious old man had made his appearance. + +"I think I should take a look around the Countess' home," Chadwick was +insisting. + +"No! We've gone this far; we must hold out. There's someone at the door +now. It's surely he. I'll call you when he's gone," Carl shouted into +the telephone, crashed the receiver on the hook, and ran to the door. + +It was only the charwoman, armed with buckets and mops for her nightly +duties. + +"Sorry, doctor," she said, pushing a stray wisp of grimy hair from her +eyes, "but I thought if ye didn't mind, I would be cleanin' yer office. +But then if I'll bother ye----" + +"Yes, you will," Carl answered hastily. "Forget about my office for +this one night. I am expecting a caller." He took some loose coins from +his pocket and gave them to her. "Here, take these and buy yourself a +midnight snack." + +"Ah, thank ye, sir, and God bless ye, sir, and----" + +Carl had to push her gently but firmly out of the door to shut off the +flood of almost tearful gratitude the old woman was heaping upon him. + +He closed the door, and turned again to search the sky for any trace of +unwelcome stars when a scream echoed down the corridor of the offices. +Throwing open the door, he saw the old man standing in the corridor, +his black cape covering his face. The charwoman was hastening down the +stairs, gesticulating and screaming with fright. + +"She saw my face," the man in black said simply. + +Carl ushered him into his office, and quickly locked the door. Pierre +now kept his cape wrapped about his face as he looked suspiciously +about the office. + +"Are we alone?" he asked. + +"Yes. I've been waiting all evening for you. Now please tell me about +Ruth. Is she all right? Oh, what does it all mean anyway?" + +Carl hurried him to a chair in front of his desk, and then seated +himself. Pierre sat down, but still remained covered. + +"Doctor Fielding, I am glad that you trusted my telephone call this +afternoon," Pierre began to speak. "When I told you last night that +I would come to see you, it was because I wanted to help you. Your +fiancée was in danger. I saw the sign of Moonere upon her throat." + +"You mean this?" Carl displayed the necklace Chadwick had found that +afternoon. + +"Yes, that is the mark of the Countess Moonard--the beginning of what +will eventually become this!" Pierre stood up, throwing the cape from +his face. + +For a moment Carl's senses reeled. He gripped the edge of his desk, +and leaned unsteadily against the back of his chair. He felt the blood +drain from his head; he had not felt this way since his first days in +the dissecting-room at the medical school. His horror shamed him. After +all, he was a doctor who was supposed to be able to stand the ghastly +sight of blood and injury. But this was different! What he saw in +Pierre's face was beyond ordinary gore! + +The face seemed to be afire. It looked like flesh that was slowly being +cooked. The eyes bulged and smoke seemed to swirl from them. And above +it all there was the horrible stench of charred human skin. + +For a long moment Pierre said nothing. Carl could not speak, although +he fought bravely to gain control of his feelings. + +"Not a very encouraging sight, is it, doctor?" Pierre broke the awful +silence. + +"I--I can't believe it. It's not possible--it--in God's name, man, what +caused this?" Carl finally gasped. + +"Moonere!" Pierre's pained eyes looked into Carl's. + +"Moonere?" + +"Perhaps you know her better by the name of the Countess Donella +Moonard. The beautiful Countess Moonard and Moonere, the sorceress, +daughter of the God of Sudre, are one. Your fiancée is marked for the +sacrifice that for the last ten thousand years has offered up its +beautiful captives to the greedy God of Sudre!" + +"Sudre? Where is Sudre?" Carl stared at him incredulously. + +"Sudre is another world, another planet, with another scheme of +life--a scheme of life more complex than any dream of our existence, +more terrible than all the horrors of history, beyond comprehension +by any of our sciences or philosophies. It is all we are, refined and +horribly exaggerated in some phases, until our most potent symbols of +evil are only weak caricatures beside it. It is evil transcendent and +all-powerful. It is the natural, purged of any goodness, and become +supernatural and transcendent. A few men of ancient Egypt knew of its +existence, knew of the All-Powerful One of Sudre, who has been playing +his evil jest upon the helpless people of this earth for countless +centuries." + + * * * * * + +Carl could only stare at Pierre, trying to realize meaning from the +strange sounds he made. It was as if he listened to a man from another +world. + +"You do not understand, I know." Pierre sat down again, wearily. "But I +will make you understand, if you will only hear me out. You must try to +grasp what I tell you." + +Pleadingly Pierre's scarred hand reached across the desk and touched +Carl's fingers. Hastily Pierre withdrew his hand as he saw the look of +revulsion upon Carl's face. Carl felt himself sicken at the feeling of +unearthly coldness of the man's skin. The feeling of coldness was not +in keeping with the appearance. To look at him was to think of fire, +all-consuming fire! + +"The way my hand felt to you just then is the way my skin is all over +my body," Pierre said. "Touch it, if you dare. You are a doctor. +Examine me. These sores that look like boils and fire--feel them, and +you will know the cold sensation of a billion miles of space." + +Carl's hand moved slowly to Pierre's face. With dread reluctance, his +fingertips traced over the pitted, irregular features. It was like +feeling an iced corpse, only worse, for this flesh was alive. When he +withdrew his hand, he beheld a trace of damp, bluish substance upon his +fingers. + +Pierre spoke again: "Last night when I told you of the stars, you +wondered what they had to do with my going out. Now you see my hopeless +state; you see the unspeakable ugliness of my face. You must believe +that all of this is a part of the curse the stars have in store for +those who defy Moonere. When the moon and the stars loom so brightly in +the evening sky, my flesh boils; my blood steams and courses through +my veins, sending poison, poison from Sudre--moon-poisoning throughout +my body. It is not the heated fire of the sun or of a furnace, but a +cold, blue fire that chills as it burns, yet burns more intensely than +a thousand blasts from hell. + +"I am slowly being destroyed, because I have defied Moonere and sought +to drive her from the earth. Do you know what it is to be destroyed, +to be conscious every minute of your slow journey to death? Look! I'll +show you a picture." Pierre took from his pocket a small photograph. + +Carl looked from the photo to the man who stood before him. There was +no resemblance. The picture was of an intelligent man in his late +thirties. He was tall and straight, with a splendid, manly physique, +and handsome face that was crowned with heavy black hair, graying at +the temples. + +"That is a picture of Professor Pierre Soret." Pierre stood up, +pointing to the picture in Carl's hand. "You see the man was tall, a +large man, an athlete in his college days. Now look at him!" He made a +disdainful gesture to his present slight figure that was scarcely five +feet in height. "I am the same man of that photograph taken over ten +years ago. But there is no way I could prove it, because I am slowly +being burned to a stony cinder." + +"I can't believe it," Carl cried out against the madness of his +thoughts. "How can you expect me to believe that this woman has been +able to destroy you like this? What fiendish power, even of the +supernatural, could do this to a man?" + +"The crystal of Sudre in Moonere's temple. Like the light-collecting +principle of our modern telescopes and reflectors, it draws together +the beams of Sudre into one hellish and destructive fire. + +"Sudre is a world, a satellite of the outermost planet of our solar +system. Astronomers have not discovered this moon, Sudre, for it is +not of sufficient size or density to enter into their calculations; +and its discovery would disclose none of its power of evil, even if it +were charted. Nor do they realize that upon it burns a fire that is +controlled by the evil magic of the God of Sudre. Upon certain nights +of the month, when it is on the side of that outer planet which is +facing earth, the power of that fiery creation is directed upon me. +Even when it is on the other side of that planet--and it revolves +about it once every twenty-seven of our days--those rays come down +to earth with sufficient power to keep me living in the painful +realization of my certain death. + +"And there is life there; a life of eternal evil, like nothing science +has ever yet discovered or ever will discover--life that would strike +horror in the strongest hearts of the most coldly impersonal scientific +explorer. The life of the undead, of which you have heard in your tales +of earth horror, is nothing compared with its evilness." + + * * * * * + +The old man's voice droned on. "I will not dwell upon a description of +them, for it is this threat to your own fiancée's life that prompts +me to even mention this to you. This evil beyond hell, which is the +Countess Moonard's power--the crystal of Sudre----" + +He broke off a short moment, then resumed: "You have seen the sun's +powerful rays burning paper under a magnifying lens? Upon almost the +same principle, yet using the crystal of Sudre instead of glass, +Moonere burns her lovely offerings upon the altar of the God of Sudre. +Few men are ever sacrificed to Sudre; it is almost always women, for +the God of Sudre is a carnal fiend, delighting in despoiling chastity +and ravishing virginity. + +"Each convert to Moonerism is given a super-thrill in the discovery +of how beautiful she can become. Ah, that is the way Moonere first +enslaves her victims. They come to her seeking beauty. She promises +them eternal loveliness, beyond even their dreams; and when they do as +she decrees, they always receive this precious desire of every woman. +That is why no one ever reveals the secret of Moonere. They do not +dare, for she not only holds their lives in her hands, once they come +to her, but she also holds woman's most priceless treasure--beauty. +Every year, lovely women sink into the depths of despair and torture +because they seek the unnatural grant of beauty from the God of Sudre." + +Carl cried out, suddenly remembering: "You're right! That was the way +Ruth was trapped, I'm sure. I have seen the change in her." + +"True, young man, although your fiancée is not yet fully enslaved. +Tomorrow night, the full force of the rays of destruction from Sudre +will fall upon earth. Moonere will hold her rites to the God of Sudre. +Once the girl has danced within the temple of the maidens of Moonere, +there will be no salvation for her. To leave Moonere, or to defy her, +would mean the doom you now see in my face." + +"But how were you trapped?" Carl asked. + +"I will tell you of that. You see the secret of Moonere has never +been new to me. From my earliest youth I knew that my life was to be +dedicated to the destruction of Moonere and the evil reign of the God +of Sudre; just as my ancestors have fought and died in silence for this +curse. In my family, throughout the centuries, the knowledge of Sudre +and Moonere has existed. We dared not reveal it; and even if we had +done so, none would have believed us. Yet all of it is true. + +"From ancient cities, long since buried beneath the sands of the +deserts, to modern London, Moonere has slipped inconspicuously through +life, carrying the curse of the God of Sudre, while my family has +silently borne the banner of humanity. Although I am only a few years +past forty, my knowledge of science and the ancient arts is far +advanced. Were it not for the fact that I have the jealously guarded +secrets of all these generations behind me, I could never have attained +the ability I now have. + +"That ability will explain your fiancée's strange actions in the +earlier part of the day. I have taken over her mind. Telepathy is one +power that Moonere and I both have in common. She thinks that is the +only weapon I have, but she is wrong. At last I have discovered a more +powerful ray than the one that burns in the glass of Sudre. With it, I +hope to destroy Moonere and free the world of the constant threat of +her accursed power." + +"But what will become of Ruth?" Carl asked anxiously. + +"I may be able to save her, if you help me. Today Moonere knew that I +had taken Ruth's mind from her powerful grasp. It was I who awakened +her from the sleep Moonere sent her to last night. It was I who kept +warning her to beware." + +"Yes, I know. That was what frightened her--the sound of your voice." + +"Of course, and she called for you. I gave her the telephone number +of your friend. But when you arrived, you gave her a sedative, thus +undoing much of my good work." + +"But how did you know what I gave her? You were not there." + +"I saw everything nevertheless. I will tell you how later. I saw the +Countess' servants kidnap your fiancée while she slept. I saw them take +her to the temple where she will be forcibly detained until the night +of the sacrifice." + +"And that will be----" + +"Tomorrow night. The rays will be at their maximum intensity. If +everything goes right, and it is the will of God that I defeat this +devil-daughter from another world, your fiancée will be returned to +you, unharmed; the many tortured souls who now follow Moonere will +be freed; and the world will be rid of at least one black scourge of +unholiness. The work of my family will be finished." + +"But you still haven't told me why you were burned by the crystal," +Carl interrupted. + +"So I haven't. And you need that to convince you further that I am +not a madman spinning lies to lure you into lunacy, eh? Well, it +was through my desire to test my ray with which I hope to destroy +Moonere. That was ten years ago, shortly after the death of my father. +I was so sure that with this ray nothing could prevent my success in +exterminating Moonere that I went to her home. I knew just where to +find the secret entrance that leads to the temple of the maidens. No +one else could have found it. The home of the Countess Moonard was +built sixty years ago; and in all of London, neither you nor Scotland +Yard combined could find a trace of the architects who constructed it. +It is so ingeniously arranged to mislead a curious snooper that one +could spend the rest of his life wandering from one false corridor +into another, never getting anywhere. No, only I could find the secret +entrance that leads to the temple with its star-glass in the roof. The +plan of the house is the same as was her first temple many centuries +ago." + + * * * * * + +"You mean the Countess is immortal?" + +"Of course; that is, the lifetime of Moonere does not correspond with +any human conception of a life-span. Moonere, or the Countess Moonard, +as she has been known here in London, is from another planet, and has +lived on this earth, serving the God of Sudre, for many ages. As long +as she serves faithfully, she will live at his will. If she never +offends her fiendish deity, she will live eternally. Even in my family, +where the knowledge of her has existed for many centuries, there is no +record of her beginning. You will find that hard to believe, because +such things are beyond the comprehension of men. It will always be so +with the mysteries of this world. Only a few learn the solemn secrets, +and they find their knowledge a curse, their lips forever sealed by +man's eternal skepticism. + +"But as I started to tell you, when Moonere and I finally clashed, +my ray proved a failure--a fault I have corrected. I was seized and +dragged down into the center of the temple. My clothes were torn from +me, and I was thrown upon the altar. The crystal burned; the poison +crept into my body. I thought that my time had arrived, that this would +mean death. But that was not her plan. I was exposed only for a few +brief moments, much the same as the convert who takes the final vows. +Then I was released. Mind you, I was set free. I could go to the police +and Scotland Yard if I wanted to. I could tell them my story." + +"Why didn't you?" + +"Do you think they would believe such a story? Furthermore, even if I +took them to the temple, to the very altar, what could I prove? Upon +the surface, Moonere has nothing that would arouse any suspicion beyond +ordinary curiosity." + +"But your face--you were horribly disfigured after the exposure to the +glass, were you not?" + +"No. That is not the way the glass first interprets the ray of Sudre. +Those exposed to it for only a brief moment upon the altar, find that +their youth, their physical charm, is doubly enhanced. When I was +thrown from the temple, I looked years younger; my hair, which was +turning gray before I entered, became black and glossy again. I could +not look into a mirror without realizing the wonderful appearance +that had been given to me. But it was only temporary. That is the way +Moonere holds her victims for ever, sealing their lips, and bending +them to unending servitude. The beauty does not last. Only by constant +bathing in the rays beneath the glass can one keep fresh. Deny yourself +those rays and the aid of Moonere, and you find your entire body slowly +being destroyed. One look into the mirror, by a victim so denied, is +enough to enslave the soul with fear. + +"Any night when the heavens are filled with the diffused rays of its +many bodies, and Sudre is between earth and the planet about which it +revolves, the torture of slowly being burned to a cinder increases +for me. That is why I remain inside my home, which I have succeeded +in partially insulating from them. That is why I can walk about in +the fresh air upon only those all too few dark nights. In my home, I +work with my inventions, the findings of many years of research by +my family. But each night, Moonere and the Thing of Sudre send their +rays to me. It is their jest, a further extension of their joy in +the torture of mere mortals. My body now has an attraction for those +rays. Even behind the closed, insulated walls, I feel their burn. With +my present ray-machine, I have been combating them. Every night, if +you could only see with your normal eyes the battle of Moonere's ray +of death and my own discovered ray, you would know what a strange, +unbelievable life I lead." + +Carl looked wan and weary. Just now it seemed to him that there was +nothing real about anything. The man who stood before him with his +horrible face, his story of Moonere--everything was like a mad plot and +setting for a dream of horror. All he could do was trust and pray that, +through this man who knew the secrets, Ruth would be saved from a life +far worse than death. + +"All this is so strange, so far removed from reality," Carl said. +"There is nothing I can do but follow your directions. I will do +anything to save Ruth from this life." + +"Then you must come with me." Pierre stood up and threw his cape +about his face. "I will take you to my home. There are many things I +must teach you before tomorrow night, the night of the sacrifice. I +will have great need of your assistance in my laboratory. You will be +protected with everything my knowledge can give you. Perhaps I should +warn you that I believe tomorrow night Moonere will seek to destroy me +entirely. If you are with me, you may suffer a similar fate. Shall we +go?" + +"We go!" Carl rose to his feet, and hurriedly put on his coat and hat. + +Once outside, under the low-hanging canopy of the black night's sky, +Pierre breathed heavily, as if the murky air of night was doubly +precious to him. + +"Young man, you are about to witness what no one outside my own family +has ever seen. You will see the work of many past generations, and you +will see strange inventions that are of the future. Science has been +very slow in its progress, compared with what my family has achieved." +Pierre laughed, a rather cracked and squeaky laugh, somewhat disturbing +to Carl; it was the first time he had heard the man laugh. "Indeed, +my boy, if you live through this, you will never forget it; yet you +will never be able to tell another soul. Imagine it! How little the +people on this world really know of what is going on about them! Here +is busy, foggy, magnificent, dingy, dirty London with her many souls +living their frustrated daily lives, their noses to the ground; and +every night a drama they can never see is played up there in the sky. +In their very midst two houses hold the powers and the secrets of ages +beyond recall!" + + + _4. The Scene in the Bowl_ + +Pierre's home was a decaying old town house of red brick, with bleak +shuttered windows and a gray slate roof. Conservative and ancient, it +stood like an unfriendly hermit, far back from the street. + +Carl was impressed with the solid, substantial appearance of the old +house. At one end of it, the north wing, was a glass-enclosed room, +beginning at the second story and ending slightly above the regular +roof-line of the building. The front door was of fortified steel. To +the dull surface of the door was secured a substantial bronze tablet, +covered with a rich patina of long exposure, on which were inscribed +the words: + + BRING NOT YOUR TALES OF THE WORLD + YOU KNOW, FOR BEHIND THIS DOOR + LIES A WORLD YOU WILL NEVER ENTER. + +"A most hospitable door," Carl said. + +"Yes, a door without a latch-key," Pierre replied. + +"Then how do you open it?" + +His question was answered with the silent movement of the steel door, +as if someone had opened it from the inside; although in the dim light +of the reception hall, Carl could see no sign of another occupant. + +"It opens by cutting off the beam of light that passes from the post +at one side of the door to the post on the other," Pierre said, as he +ushered Carl into the hallway. + +Carl turned and watched the door close silently behind him. + +"You have them in some of your modern office buildings," Pierre +continued. "This door has opened that way for the past forty years. My +father developed the principle. Come, we will go to my observatory." + +Pierre led Carl to a narrow stairway leading upward to the north +wing. Up one flight they moved silently. A dim blue light illuminated +the landing, and shed its ghostly rays down another hall. Up another +flight, leading in the same general direction, they walked. Carl felt +as if he were climbing slowly through a mad dream. + +Passing through a heavy, rivet-studded door, they entered the +laboratory. The room was vast, covering the entire top floor of the +house. The glass enclosure which he had seen from outside served only +one end and corner of this amazing room. The walls were of a peculiar +gray, glowing softly as if phosphorescent. Throughout the entire +expanse of the room there was arranged an incalculable assortment +of instruments, switch-boards, control-panels, glass and polished +chromium, copper and brass. To Carl it was like suddenly entering a +room fitted with all the strange instruments of the alchemists, and yet +it was like looking ahead, fifty, a hundred or even two hundred years +into the future. + +Pierre led the astounded Carl over beneath the glass dome. Here seemed +to be the major control position for all the complex horde of machines +that filled the room. In the center of this circular space stood a +small insulated platform. Upon it, supported by gleaming glass rods, +stood a huge, hollow hemisphere, from which emanated an eery blue +light. Coming closer and looking downward into it, Carl was thrilled to +see moving objects, familiar outlines of buildings he knew belonged to +that part of London called Piccadilly Circus. + +"This will explain the question you asked me earlier in the evening. +The inventors of modern television would be envious if they knew of +this creation. I need no transmitting station to bring into my home any +scene I may desire." + +Pierre quickly removed his cape, and began tinkering with an assortment +of strange knobs upon a large panel back of the bowl. The Piccadilly +Circus scene disappeared, and into its place came a picture of Ruth's +deserted apartment. + +Again Pierre turned the knobs, and the scene in the bowl became a +moving panorama of London streets. Swiftly they passed, until the +estate of the Countess Moonard appeared in the strange vessel. + +"It is astounding. How--how----?" Carl gasped. + +"To explain its operation would take all of our time, my boy. I have +many other things to show you, the work of my ancestors and myself. +This magnetic bowl has been most helpful. Through it I have been able +to follow the unholy activities of the Countess Moonard. That night +after I left you, I hurried back here and drew the light-rays of the +Countess Moonard's home into the bowl. I saw her anointing your fiancée +with the oils in preparation for the sacrifice to come; saw her filling +the mind of the girl with the evil suggestions of the God of Sudre. +When Ruth was sent back to her apartment, still in the trance of +Moonerism, I then took over her mind. I had to be cautious, as I did +not want her to confuse my suggestions with the thoughts of Moonere. +When you found Ruth this morning, the Countess and I were both battling +for control of the girl's mind." + +"Can you see where they have Ruth?" Carl asked anxiously. + +"Certainly!" Pierre turned the knobs again. + + * * * * * + +The little dials that traced the locations he wanted shivered onto the +desired points, and Carl beheld a thrilling sight. In the bowl there +was appearing a picture that resembled nothing of modern London. He saw +a temple of ancient Egypt. The towering pillars along the side of the +temple were adorned with strange hieroglyphics of forgotten beliefs. +The vision moved slowly, like a motion-picture camera shot traveling +to a close-up scene that ended at an altar where a mysterious fire was +burning. The picture remained steady for only a moment, then moved +on to a room filled with many pillows. Upon a richly draped couch, +Carl saw his fiancée lying as if in deep slumber. Negro slaves were +anointing her slim, white body with precious oils. The chamber of a +princess in some forgotten age this could have been--but the girl was +Ruth! + +"What are they doing to her?" Carl cried out, his fingers reaching into +the bowl as if he hoped to pluck her from the couch. + +"They are making ready for the night of the sacrifice. Every woman who +takes the vows of Moonere relinquishes her charms to the God of Sudre." + +"You mean----?" Carl's fists tightened. + +"It is the price each one pays for her beauty. Poor deluded fools! +They come to the Countess, seeking beauty and charm with which to win +and hold the man they love; instead, they give up their most priceless +virtue. The God of Sudre takes their charms onto himself." + +"How? You say this God is not of this world?" Carl asked. + +"Look!" Pierre changed the scene in the globe. + +Slowly the picture moved down the magnificent room. It approached a +bronze platform, and paused. There upon the bronze dais, standing +erect, was the golden image of a man, or demigod. The image was about +seven feet tall. The details were perfectly wrought, and every muscle +and fiber of that magnificent nude statue was the embodiment of the +perfect development of masculinity. Yet it was a sensual development, +eliminating all that might be good, and emphasizing all that is base +and carnal. The face was cruel beyond any conception of men. The +features were sharply brutal. Silent and motionless it stood, but the +eyes were alive; and from them burned a dull, blue-black light that +chilled Carl's blood as he watched. + +"That is the image of the God of Sudre," explained Pierre. "Tonight, +when the rays from Sudre become most intense, Sudre's spirit will +enter it, and it will become imbued with life, the evil life of Sudre. +Tonight it will indulge in an orgy of lust at which even the most +dissolute of ancient Romans would have shuddered. Your bride-to-be is +to give herself for ever to Sudre, and for ever she will be lost to +you. No mortal man will ever possess her." + +"No! No!" Carl cried out in tortured frustration. + +"You will see on the night of the sacrifice," Pierre said calmly. + +"But what are you going to do to save her? You haven't told me yet how +this monster can be stopped." + +"Everything I have and know, I will use. If I fail"--Pierre's shoulders +shrugged--"there is no one to carry out my work. If I win, Moonere will +be destroyed; the tortured souls, who have given all for beauty, will +at last be free. We have only a few hours more. As we have talked, this +night has passed. Another day is upon us; with its end comes the night +when the evil rays will be fully focussed. Moonere will again send the +hellish light that I have fought. Tonight I will use everything to +combat her--telepathy, advanced knowledge of science, and secrets that +will die with me." + +"But what shall I be doing?" + +"You will be helping me. Within these all too short hours, you will be +learning the operation of the many machines. Follow me." + +Pierre led him to another corner of the room, where an instrument, not +unlike a telescope, was placed. He handed Carl a pair of glasses with +very thick, colored lenses. + +"Look through these. Look into the instrument, and tell me what you +see." + +"It looks like a beam of light, but it seems to stop in the sky; it is +like a highway of white marble that ends abruptly," Carl said. + +"You see the ray from the fire on Sudre, traveling at a faster speed +than light, bringing with it the secret of beauty and death that only +the star-glass of Moonere can transmute to potency. Now watch this!" + +Pierre moved to a high stand that supported a cone-shaped searchlight +reflector. He made several deft adjustments, and then pushed in a +switch on the long panel that ran the length of the room. Carl, with +the aid of the glasses, could see a light-beam shoot into the heavens +and travel in the direction of the beam that seemed suspended in the +sky. + +"This is my latest invention. Everything depends upon it. Tonight you +will see a spectacular sight. Everything we do will be controlled from +here. You and I, working with science, destroying that which is beyond +this planet." + +Carl looked about him. He reached out his hand and touched a metal +laboratory bench; its solidity reassured his slipping sense of the +reality of it all. Dazed, he wandered again to the bowl. What he saw +made him start as if he had been shot with electricity. Inspector +Chadwick was struggling with two brawny servants in the temple. + +"It's Chadwick!" Carl cried. "They've captured him." + + * * * * * + +Pierre hurried to the glass. + +"The fool!" he rasped. "Why did he go there? I thought you had warned +that detective friend of yours to keep out of this. Now they will make +him a prisoner. They may not wait until tonight for the sacrifice to +destroy him." + +"Is there anything we can do?" + +"Nothing, unless they hold him for the dance of the maidens in the +temple. One thing certain, he will be burned as I was, or even +destroyed upon the altar. Watch closely, and you will see why no one +has ever betrayed the secret of Moonere." + +Breathlessly Carl watched them drag Chadwick into a small throneroom +where the Countess Moonard, clothed in the robes of an ancient +priestess, sat in serene majesty. + +They threw him down in front of the throne. He rose and shook his fist +threateningly at the Countess. She smiled; her long, deeply beautiful +eyes looked into his face. His trembling arms stopped shaking and +dropped limply to his side. He stood in hypnotized rigidity. She +pointed to a door that slowly opened. Chadwick walked meekly through +it. The slaves bowed before the Countess and followed him through the +door. + +[Illustration: "They threw him down in front of the throne."] + +"He's going into the dungeon. They are saving him for a later +sacrifice," Pierre said, almost relieved. "That means we have time; we +may save him." + +"Chadwick wouldn't have gone to the Countess' unless he suspected +something more than he let me know. He must have been well protected. +He's no fool. A man can't just disappear--not an Inspector from +Scotland Yard. Chadwick would have his men following him. They will get +him out of that dungeon," Carl spoke with growing determination. + +"You are mistaken." Pierre turned the knobs again. + +The bowl showed Chadwick's men rushing into the reception hall of the +Countess' home. Twisting the knob again, the bowl revealed the Countess +smiling innocently. A servant brought in three of Chadwick's men. They +began talking angrily to the Countess. Then the door where Chadwick had +gone down into the dungeon opened. He came out, and began talking to +his men. + +"They're leaving!" Carl cried. + +"Yes, he has instructed them to go. He has told them there is nothing +wrong. Your friend's mind no longer belongs to him; his every thought, +his words are the words and thoughts of Moonere. She has told him to +send the men away, assuring them that nothing is wrong. You see they +are gone. And now Chadwick returns to the dungeon." + +"Why can't you take over his mind as you did Ruth's? You said you could +do it. Why can't you free him from Moonere's grasp?" + +"I can," Pierre answered calmly, "but to do that would place your +fiancée in danger. Every minute I have concentrated upon her. Within +her mind is the continual conflict of two powers struggling for +supremacy. For the present, it is best that I whisper, 'Peace and +quiet,' to the girl. You see how she slumbers, so still and unmoving; +that aids my plan. + +"When the time comes for the sacrifice, they will discover that their +lovely maiden is not to join their dance of passion." + +Pierre began laughing at the thoughts that were damning Carl. + +"You need not fear, my friend; she will sleep, sleep; and nothing +Moonere can do will make her gratify the desires of the evil God of +Sudre. Tonight you will see a disappointed God!" + + + _5. The Golden Image_ + +Throughout the hours, Carl crammed the many secrets of Pierre Soret's +strange machines. It seemed to him that he had forced the learning of +all the world into his brain. + +Midnight found him staring with weary eyes into the sky. The night +was clear; and above the dimly haze-rimmed horizon Carl could see the +metallic glitter of the stars. Looking through the telescope with his +specially designed glasses, he found the light-beam again. This time it +hovered very closely to the center of the heavens. + +Pierre moved from one machine to another, tightening little +adjustments, testing each minute detail. + +When the beam reached its zenith, he said: "Now we will see the +beginning of war." + +In the globe, Carl could see the temple. The fire upon the altar was +blazing brightly. Along the walls sat many slaves, playing strange +musical instruments. The light in the temple was blue, the silvery, +all-pervading blue of moonlight. + +"Tonight they will begin the dance of invitation to the God of Sudre." +Pierre peered over Carl's shoulder into the bowl. "Before his golden +image, they will perform the subtle dance of seduction, inviting him to +come and take them in his arms, and embrace them. You see the beam of +light. From Sudre it has traveled the miles of space, and hurried with +its concentrated rays into the star-glass. See how the flames upon the +altar blaze tonight. The dance begins with Moonere's entrance. She will +give her signal. Watch!" + +The Countess Moonard entered the temple from a small door at one +end, walked slowly through the throng, each worshipper bowing as she +passed, and came before the image of Sudre. Standing there, she was +both terrifying and beautiful. Her body became slowly rigid. She flung +back her head, and her long, black hair fell down behind her. Her +body glowed with sensuous intensity. She raised her arms slowly, in +supplication and desire, and then let them fall to her side. + +The musicians increased the tempo of their playing. Onto the floor of +the temple came the dancing forms of many beautiful women, clad only in +their long hair that waved like misty light about their supple bodies. +Arms outstretched, they danced rhythmically before the idol. In the +pale blue light of the temple, their forms were like white marble +statues suddenly breathing life. Around and around before the God they +danced, their passionate movements growing more and more intense. + +Carl watched, revolted and yet fascinated by the obscene gyrations +of these beautiful nude dancers who threw their charms in rhythmic +supplication toward the golden image. + +Shadows darted about the temple walls, shadows of arms raised high +and lowered quickly across sculptured white curves, shadows of bodies +thrusting and withdrawing with compelling seductiveness. Beautiful +faces, swelling breasts, and eyes that cried for love--the love of an +inhuman idol of gold! + +"It's moving!" Pierre cried. "The God of Sudre returns." + +Carl could not speak; he could only stare into the glowing sphere. +The golden image was moving! Slowly the sinewy muscles of its arms +moved downward; strong golden fingers felt along its thighs; its chest +expanded as it drew in the scented breath of the temple. Carl saw the +arm of the God reach down and bring up a lovely white form. He saw her +swoon with pleasure in the embrace of this golden image that now lived. +He saw the God release the white form of the girl, saw her fair body +writhe with tormented desire, her hands clutching eagerly for him. On +he walked to the throne beside the altar. As he walked, the maidens +bent down before him, their lips caressed his feet, slender fingers +sought to touch him as he moved majestically above that sea of adoring +flesh. Moonere bowed before him. He touched her shoulder, and raised +her up to meet his lips in the lingering kiss. Then he sat down upon +the scarlet throne. + +Food and wine were brought to him by the maidens, each seeking to +outdo the others in her attentions. They fairly groveled at his throne. + +"Now they will bring him the new sacrifice," Pierre said tensely. "I +will let her walk slowly so that Moonere will fail to see that my mind +controls her. But he will never possess her!" + +"Oh, God, I pray not!" cried Carl. + + * * * * * + +Ruth entered the temple, her eyes staring glassily in front of her. +From her shoulders trailed a flimsy white cloth, her slender form +gleaming through it in the pale blue light. Two of the maidens led her +to the Golden God. In torment, Carl watched him feast his eyes upon +Ruth's beauty. Unable to stand the sight, Carl turned from the globe. + +He looked beseechingly to Pierre. The man's lips moved in formless +speech. Pierre was talking to Ruth, he knew. He looked again to see +if it had worked. Carl gasped as he saw Ruth fall in a crumpled faint +before the throne. Moonere rushed to her. The maidens began laboring +over Ruth's lifeless form. The Golden Image frowned. Carl watched the +look of surprize fade from Moonere's face; slowly, gradually it became +a smiling mask of cruelty. Pierre was now laughing. + +"Ah, they do not enjoy that! Moonere is puzzled. Moonere and the Golden +God of Sudre are disappointed for once!" his voice rasped. He shook his +fist into the globe. "Now what will you do, Moonere? What will you do +to me?" + +As Pierre spoke, Carl saw Moonere dart to the altar and pull quickly +upon some heavy chains that hung in front of the blazing fire. Slowly +a shining disk of platinum appeared. Moonere swung it rapidly until it +caught the light of the hellish fire that burned upon the altar. Its +glistening surface began to glow. Suddenly a blinding flash of light +engulfed the globe before the two figures concentrated in front of it. +Pierre's vast room filled with a strange purple and blue-green light. + +"Quick! Turn on the ray-machine!" Pierre cried, pushing Carl out of his +way as he hurried to the panel. "Your glasses, don't forget them. Don't +forget to turn Z-4. And when I tell you, let me have R-9." Pierre was +shouting now. + +All through the room the strange light shattered into millions of +little stars. The ray from Pierre's machine shot upward through the +sky. Carl saw it cross the ray that was coming from Sudre. The sky in +the vicinity of the rays, that could only be seen through Pierre's +glasses, was filled with a mighty conflict of fire. + +"More phosphorous liquid. Hurry! Hurry!" Pierre was almost screaming +now. Carl pulled the lever, and the liquid poured into a tank beside +the ray-machine. He worked feverishly, following Pierre's orders. +Everything he had previously rehearsed, he now performed rapidly and +automatically. He turned knobs, pulled switches, poured mysterious +liquids into tanks, watched a pageantry of light and small sparkling +stars leap about the room, dancing from corner to corner. + +The room grew hotter. Perspiration dripped from Carl's face as he +struggled to follow the orders issued by Pierre. Although he knew what +to do when Pierre commanded, he did not know what each separate action +meant. It was enough that he could recognize the orders and could do +what must have been the simplest of things in this maze of wizardry and +science Pierre had developed. + +As Carl worked over a boiling vat that contained a thick mixture of +evil-smelling chemicals, he felt a severe burning sensation at the back +of his neck. Turning his head slightly, he saw two yellow flames shoot +toward him from the switch-board panel. + +"Take that other tube and place it in the switch-box. Tube X! Tube X!" +Pierre's tone was frantic. + +Carl whirled around in his excitement, and as he did so, a bottle fell +with an explosive crash. Smoke and fire leaped up from the floor. +Pierre quenched it quickly with an extinguisher. The heat of the room +was beginning to show upon Carl, and he sensed that in a moment he +would pass into unconsciousness. + +The tube placed in the box as Pierre had directed, Carl staggered +blindly back to his duties between the tank and the switch-board panel. + +"Something's wrong! Something's wrong!" he heard Pierre say in a +croaking voice. The fear that gripped him made it impossible for Carl +to ask what was wrong. + +Pierre turned from the ray-machine. Carl saw him, and for the moment +went insane! Pierre's face was gone! There was only a blue light +shining from the open gap that had once been the face of Pierre Soret. +Somewhere in that horrible sight were two white pin-points that +retained a semblance of the man's eyes. Bluish smoke was issuing from +his entire body. + +"We must work fast; perhaps you can finish what I have started," +Pierre's broken voice came from the awful vision that represented him. +"My ray-machine is not powerful enough; I cannot concentrate the rays +on the temple with sufficient intensity to effect my purpose. You must +take my concentration mirror, which is similar to the one you saw +Moonere use. I must release your fiancée from my mind. You must submit +yourself to me. I will send you to the temple, if I last that long. +Your fiancée will be at their mercy until you arrive." + +Sensing the danger, Carl hurried to the globe. Ruth was stretched upon +a couch in front of the throne. The maidens were working desperately +to revive her, while the Golden Image of Sudre glowered down upon her. +Carl realized that once Pierre released his grip upon her mind, Moonere +would send her into the greedy clutches of Sudre. Ruth would be lost to +him. + +"No! I can't permit it. You must save her!" he cried. "But how? Man, +you are gone! You do not live, you can't exist as you are! In heaven's +name, how could you hope to save anyone, how can you even speak? How? +How?" + +"This is the only way. Do not doubt me. The rays are destroying me. +Everything is going fast. You must go, and I will direct you," Pierre +said sternly. + +Already Carl could feel the electric touch of Pierre's intellect +usurping his. Even his voice sounded weak as he cried out: "No! Save +Ruth! Save Ruth! Keep her asleep. Keep her--aslee----" + +The blue fire that was Pierre became larger; nothing but blue, blue +light filled his eyes; and Pierre, the mind of the great but tortured +scientist, filled Carl's brain. + +"You will take your car and speed to the Countess Moonard's. Make all +haste. Nothing can stop you. You _must_ get there!" Carl heard Pierre's +voice as a whisper. + +At first he moved stiffly, as if each step needed the command of the +man who now controlled his brain. Gradually the feeling decreased. Carl +Fielding became Pierre Soret! + +Into Carl's pocket Pierre thrust a round, silver disk. + + * * * * * + +Through the streets that led to the Countess Moonard's star-haunted +residence, Carl's roadster sped like a silver bullet upon an errand of +mercy. Twice he would have met certain death had it not been for the +super-intellect that made quick thinking snap his movements with the +deft skill of a racing driver. + +"Go faster! There is little time to lose. Go faster! Do not be afraid," +the voice of the professor rasped. The wind whipped past Carl's face. + +Carl froze as he heard the next words of the man who gripped his brain. +"Do not be afraid; nothing can harm you now, for you are not guided by +the normal destiny of a human. Something stronger leads me on, and I +in turn send you upon this errand which may mean death for you. Some +Greater Power of Good now seems to be working against the Evil Thing of +Sudre. + +"I am slowly being burned to some strange form, I know not what, but my +mind is keen and clear. It is the work of destiny, the destiny of good +perhaps. You are at the command of my brain." + +Carl could not stop now, and even the mighty fear that shook him hurled +him forward. On he drove, knowing that every turn he made was being +watched by Pierre in the globe--but there was nothing he could do; he +was driven by a force far stronger than himself. + +"Stop at the servant's entrance," Pierre said, as Carl turned his car +into the driveway that led to the Countess' home. + +Carl brought his car to a quick stop and leapt from it onto the little +walk that led to a narrow doorway in the side of the house. + +"Go through that hallway. Run!" the voice commanded. + +Carl followed the directions, turning and twisting through a series of +doors and porticos, opening secret panels in the walls, and hurrying +through a confusing catacomb of corridors until at last he was within +the temple where no one else had ever gone without being brought before +the Inner Circle of Sudre. Now he was there. + +They were dragging Inspector Chadwick to the altar. Huge black slaves +were preparing to toss him into the flames. The pealing laughter of the +Golden Image rang through the temple. The maidens were dancing; and in +the very center of their circle was Ruth, now wild-eyed with passion, +her face livid with the same desire Carl had seen upon the faces of the +others. She was moving to the Golden Image to give herself to the God +of Sudre. + +"Reach into your left pocket!" + +Carl's frustration ceased as he heard Pierre snap this command. The +dancing ceased. An awed hush fell upon the scene of the orgy. A +demoniacal scream arose from a chorus of horrified throats as Carl +whipped from his pocket the silver disk. Through the glasses he was +wearing, Carl saw a reflected ray of glaring intensity flash out from +the disk. + +He flashed it over the heads of the screaming dancers. Forked tongues +of fire leapt in all directions, and licked out against the naked +bodies that fled beneath its swiftly darting flames. + +The Golden Image roared in anger and plunged forward to strangle +Carl. He flashed the ray across the face of the thing, and to his +astonishment, the Golden Image seemed no longer alive. It stood still +as if it had returned to its former immobile self. Then it began to +melt! + +"Strike Moonere! Strike Moonere!" came Pierre's staccato command. + +Carl lashed the serpentine beam full across the Countess Moonard's +face. She cursed him, and screamed a horrible oath. He lashed her +again. Retreating before the flailing whip of fire from the disk, the +Countess ran and threw herself upon the altar. The flames leapt up, as +she disappeared in a flash of blue smoke. + +"My work is almost over," Carl heard the faint voice of Pierre Soret, +coming like a sigh. "Throw the disk into the flames upon the altar. +Hurry, for the altar of Sudre will soon be cool, and only the ashes of +its evil reign will smolder in remembrance of the Fire of Sudre." + + * * * * * + +Carl hurled the disk into the now dwindling flames upon the altar. It +twisted and curled with the flames that wrapped about it. Finally the +flames sank and vanished, as a silvery snake-like wisp of smoke coiled +upward, and then sank gradually into obscurity. + +"Now my work is finished," Carl heard Pierre's voice, this time coming +to him in the tones of whispered weariness. "Young man, do you know, +strange as all my life has been, strange as all the stories of my +family's struggle against the evil God of Sudre, I have never been +really frightened until now--now I find myself upon the brink of +another world. + +"The house was burned. The flames consumed me; even as you raced to +the temple, the flames were destroying me, yet I did not die. I was so +afraid that I would die, and leave you in the temple with the evil I +knew was there; but I lived, even after I knew that everything in my +house was destroyed by fire. My inventions, my years of work--all were +destroyed. + +"There is nothing but dreary coldness here; and in the darkness, +gray-lined specters hover all about me. Surely this is the realm +between the known and the unknown. It is strange to me, like a vast +sea of doubt surrounding my soul--yet in the distance I see a light, a +light of infinite brightness. + +"My fear? Perhaps Sudre's evil ray has tainted my soul; and yet it +cannot be, for now, even here, I feel that same moving faith, the +magnetic power of good, drawing me on to some better destination. It +must be so. Even though I no longer live on earth, and I wander in a +land of dreadful strangeness, surely I have conquered evil. + +"You are listening, my friend? You hear me speak to you from beyond the +border of this life. Shall I always do this? Will you be frightened, +young man, when you hear my voice? + +"I am watching over you, guarding you from harm. Go to your sweetheart. +Lead her quickly from this temple of doom, for it is soon to fall. +Lead the ones who are returned to the reality of this earth out of the +temple of another world. Lead them into life as we knew it; at least as +_you_ knew it. Hurry! There is little time. I will guide you safely out +as I guided you into this secret domain." + +Carl heard the rumble of falling stones, and saw huge cracks appear in +the scrolled walls. Picking Ruth up gently in his arms, he carried her +through the portal that would lead them to the outside. He beckoned to +the bewildered souls who had witnessed the end of their unholy service +to another god. They followed like innocent sheep. Only a few of the +black slaves and servants of Moonere remained, silent, stone-like +images that seemed no longer alive. + +Like the thundering roll of a kettle-drum in some great symphony, Carl +heard the sound of the temple falling behind him. Every step of the +way that led through the intricate passages out of the Temple of Sudre +seemed to crumble as his followers fled close upon his foot-steps. + +Soon they found themselves in the reception room of the Countess +Moonard; a strange company of unclad women, looking for some answer to +their question of where they had spent their lives. Slowly, gradually, +they seemed to sense that a terrible past lay behind them: something +that was to fade, even as the unnatural beauty of youth faded to +conform with their respective ages. Young faces on aged women were +growing old as they should have done long ago. With reality came their +sense of propriety, and they eagerly sought clothing with which to +cover themselves. + +Pierre spoke again, commanding Carl to hurry them from the house. +Outside, in the clear light of the stars, they turned to see the home +of the Countess Moonard sink into the earth. The quick crackle of fire +popped in their ears, and the sky became illuminated with a great +conflagration. + +Inspector Chadwick said little; Carl also remained silent. Tonight was +not the time to talk. Secretly Carl hoped that Chadwick would forget, +that everyone would forget the Countess Donella Moonard. + + * * * * * + +London Newspapers in their morning editions carried the story of two +fires: the destruction of a three-story house, occupied by an eccentric +Professor Pierre Soret, who had presumably compounded some dreadful +chemical which had destroyed him and his house; the other, an account +of a disaster, either an explosion or fire of unknown origin, that +completely demolished the home of the Countess Donella Moonard, killing +her and her staff of servants. + +Beyond this there was no thought of any connection between the two +houses so far apart from each other. Carl smiled somewhat as he read: + +"Although the Countess Moonard has been known to certain London +socialites, her ancestry was never certified; nor was the claim of +Countess hers by any English right. It is generally believed that the +Countess originally came from France. She was a woman of mystery and +rare beauty; her age was unknown. She was a follower of some strange +religious belief, probably of Egyptian origin." + + * * * * * + +There are women with snow-white hair and failing eyes, hobbling about +their homes; women who were once glamorous beauties, noted for their +coldness to all men, women whose beauty could have made them beloved. +Old and lonely now, they shun the world, living within their homes, +wondering when and what will be the end of their existence. + +Doctor Carl Fielding has not heard the voice of Pierre Soret for +nearly a year now. Sometimes he thinks he hears the echo of that spirit +who so strangely left this life. For a while there were moments when +Carl felt an awful sense of fear, because the thoughts that were in +his brain that night were the thoughts of the man who lived within the +fire, but his wife's devotion has dispelled this gloomy fear and led +him on to hope. + + + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 76623 *** diff --git a/76623-h/76623-h.htm b/76623-h/76623-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..0c51caf --- /dev/null +++ b/76623-h/76623-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,1869 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html> +<html lang="en"> +<head> + <meta charset="UTF-8"> + <title> + The Carnal God | Project Gutenberg + </title> + <link rel="icon" href="images/cover.jpg" type="image/x-cover"> + <style> + +body { + margin-left: 10%; + margin-right: 10%; +} + + h1,h2 { + text-align: center; /* all headings centered */ + clear: both; +} + +p { + margin-top: .51em; + text-align: justify; + margin-bottom: .49em; +} + +hr { + width: 33%; + margin-top: 2em; + margin-bottom: 2em; + margin-left: 33.5%; + margin-right: 33.5%; + clear: both; +} + +hr.tb {width: 45%; margin-left: 27.5%; margin-right: 27.5%;} +hr.chap {width: 65%; margin-left: 17.5%; margin-right: 17.5%;} +@media print { hr.chap {display: none; visibility: hidden;} } +hr.full {width: 95%; margin-left: 2.5%; margin-right: 2.5%;} +div.chapter {page-break-before: always;} +h2.nobreak {page-break-before: avoid;} + +x-ebookmaker-drop {display: none;} + +.center {text-align: center;} + +.right {text-align: right;} + +.smcap { font-variant:small-caps; } + +/* Images */ +.figcenter { + margin: auto; + text-align: center; + page-break-inside: avoid; + max-width: 100%; +} + +.caption p +{ + text-align: center; + text-indent: 0; + margin: 0.25em 0; + font-weight: bold; +} + +div.titlepage { + text-align: center; + page-break-before: always; + page-break-after: always; +} + +div.titlepage p { + text-align: center; + text-indent: 0em; + font-weight: bold; + line-height: 1.5; + margin-top: 3em; +} + +.ph1 { text-align: center; text-indent: 0em; } +.ph1 { font-size: x-large; margin: .83em auto; } + +.ph2 { text-align: center; text-indent: 0em; } +.ph2 { font-size: large; margin: .83em auto; } + +.ph3 { text-align: center; text-indent: 0em; } +.ph3 { font-size: medium; margin: .83em auto; } + + </style> +</head> +<body> +<div style='text-align:center'>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 76623 ***</div> + +<div class="figcenter x-ebookmaker-drop"> + <img src="images/illusc.jpg" alt=""> +</div> + +<hr class="chap"> + +<div class="titlepage"> + +<h1>The Carnal God</h1> + +<p class="ph1">By JOHN R. SPEER and CARLISLE SCHNITZER</p> + +<p><i>A strange and thrilling story about a golden image<br> +that was instinct with evil life, and the terrible<br> +weird fire that burned with the cold of outer space.</i></p> + +<p>[Transcriber's Note: This etext was produced from<br> +Weird Tales June 1937.<br> +Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that<br> +the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.]</p> + +</div> + +<hr class="chap"> + +<p class="ph2"><i>1. The Dreadful Face</i></p> + +<p>On starless nights when the moon was obscured by the earth's shadow, +Pierre Soret walked alone down the darkest and most deserted streets in +London. He did this to avoid the people who might look into his face. +His face! He shuddered, his pinched shoulders wrenching sharply with +a bitter shrug. Could anyone call this mask, this unearthly mass of +bubbling flesh, boiling and seething in his own blood, a face?</p> + +<p>Pierre knew what always happened when people looked into his +torture-shattered eyes. The sight of their horror sickened him. His +memory ached with the sharpness of pain he had felt on those few +occasions when some luckless persons had inadvertently seen, and +halted, frozen momentarily with the intense horror and nausea that +overwhelmed them, their faces graven with revulsion; a moment later to +totter rapidly past him down the street, the tension of their feeling +released with an effort that ended in a sob of hysteria and fear.</p> + +<p>The route Pierre took upon these nights was always the same. With +his long black opera cape and moth-eaten topper, he stalked through +the streets like some villain from an old Drury Lane melodrama. "A +quaint old man who has refused to leave his yesterdays," people might +remark, if they did not see his face. Pierre gave no heed to the few +people he passed, except to draw the cape quickly about his face if +they approached him too near under the eery, fog-filtered glare of the +street lamps.</p> + +<p>At Nigh Street, Pierre's bent figure paused wearily before he started +up the hill. A few yards from the corner, he paused again, staring +at the yellow lines of light cutting the fog and issuing from the +slit-like windows of the beautiful home of the Countess Donella +Moonard. In the thick mists, the house, impressively large and of +Egyptian architecture, resembled a temple of Black Magic veiled in +oppressive incense. The yellow slits glowered steadily and ominously. +What brilliance and exotic color lay within!</p> + +<p>It was late, but not all of the Countess Moonard's guests had departed. +This would be the first party of the new season; trust her to make it +gay and unusual.</p> + +<p>Pierre walked slowly forward, muttering to himself. His shoulders +brushed the low, ivy-covered wall surrounding the estate. He was +nearing the entrance to the garden. Above the gate in the wall, an +ancient gas torch flickered, casting a ghastly light that might have +come from the most ancient tombs along the Blue Nile.</p> + +<p>"The fools!" he mumbled bitterly. "If I could only tell them what she +really is!"</p> + +<p>Within a few feet of the entrance, he paused again, resentfully. +Was it his fault that the curse of many years before had made him +an outcast from the very society that now applauded the brilliant +Countess Moonard? He thrust back his cape. How good this musty dampness +felt! For weeks he had not been outside his home. His lungs cried +out in rebellion, cried greedily for deeper and deeper drafts of the +refreshing breath of night. The Countess Moonard! His hatred flamed +higher. Her guests ... fools! What would happen if he were to walk into +that gay party scene, drop his cape from about his face, and tell them +that——</p> + +<hr class="tb"> + +<p>Suddenly he paused; the pale, frightened face of a beautiful girl was +confronting him in the dim flare of the gas torch. It was too late to +draw the folds of his cape about his face. The girl had already seen +the sickening sight, and a stifled cry rose from her lovely throat.</p> + +<p>"Oh, Carl!" she stammered weakly, clutching the shoulder of the tall, +handsome young man who stood beside her.</p> + +<p>"Ruth! Dearest—what——?" The young man was puzzled until he saw +Pierre's face.</p> + +<p>Usually when Pierre saw that he had frightened someone with the sight +of his horrible features, he turned and ran away, rather than suffer +the indignity of an apology—but something about this girl made him +linger. It was a small diamond-studded pendant that hung from about +her slim white throat. In that, Pierre saw the unmistakable sign of +death and despair that always cast its shadow upon the throats of the +Countess Moonard's victims. The girl was marked!</p> + +<p>From the girl's face, Pierre turned to the young man. He looked into +his eyes and saw there the familiar terror that always spread across +the faces of those who looked upon him.</p> + +<p>A long moment of silence passed. The girl turned from him, covering +her face with her hands and clinging tightly to the young man, who now +stared at Pierre with growing inquisitiveness.</p> + +<p>"I'm sorry," Pierre finally said.</p> + +<p>The young man tried to look pleasant. He was an intelligent young +doctor, and although the sight of Pierre had upset him, he was quickly +regaining his poise.</p> + +<p>"Sorry? What for?" he asked.</p> + +<p>"My face, if it frightened you. It usually does." Pierre tried to smile.</p> + +<p>"Oh, yes, of course!" Carl spoke with more assurance now. The girl on +his arm was still trembling. Neither Carl nor the girl wore wraps; they +had been wandering through the gardens of the Countess Moonard's estate +in preference to dancing.</p> + +<p>"Ruth, dearest, don't allow this to affect you." He patted her shoulder +gently. "I say, old man, you gave her an awful fright. I don't wish to +be unkind, but you really are enough to frighten anyone."</p> + +<p>Curiosity was fast overcoming Doctor Carl Fielding's fear. He looked +closer into Pierre's face.</p> + +<p>"Are those boils or burns—or what? How long have you been afflicted +this way?"</p> + +<p>"Ten years."</p> + +<p>"Indeed? It is rather difficult to see here in this poor light, but +something should be done about your face. As a plastic surgeon, I would +recommend that you——"</p> + +<p>"Permit an operation?" Pierre interrupted. "Young man, modern surgery +cannot do anything for my case."</p> + +<p>"I disagree with you. Surely you would be willing to give me a chance? +This must be horrible, going about frightening people. Or do you enjoy +nearly scaring young women to death? My fiancée is still trembling!"</p> + +<p>Carl removed a handkerchief from his pocket. "Here, Ruth, stop crying, +and use this. The boogy man isn't going to get you. What am I going to +marry anyway, a cry-baby?"</p> + +<p>"I'm not crying!" she protested indignantly. "It was just the sudden +shock of—well, you and I walking along, and then suddenly to——"</p> + +<p>She turned to Pierre, but did not look directly into his face.</p> + +<p>"Really I am sorry if I offended you."</p> + +<p>"Oh, no, no; it is I who should apologize." Pierre's voice trembled +with gratitude. "You are very kind—both of you. I was quite careless +tonight. Usually I am more thoughtful of people. You see it is not +pleasant to——"</p> + +<p>He was looking at her throat. If this young man would listen! But +no, it was impossible. No one would believe the story of the diamond +pendant.</p> + +<p>Pierre said stiffly: "I really thank you for your kindness, and I am +sorry if I have spoiled your evening. Good night!"</p> + +<p>He turned and started to hurry away.</p> + +<p>"Oh, but wait a minute," Carl called to him. "I really meant what I +said about your face. I think I can do something for you. Won't you +take my card and call at my office? At least you can tell me what +caused this awful affliction."</p> + +<p>Pierre quietly accepted the card that was handed to him. He thrust it +quickly into the pocket of his vest. Doctor Fielding noticed that the +man's hands were as hideous as his face.</p> + +<p>"You think you would like to know what afflicted me?" Pierre said with +a trace of bitterness. "I wonder if you would believe me if I told you."</p> + +<p>"I would have to," Carl answered.</p> + +<p>Pierre waited a moment before he said abruptly: "I see you have been to +the Countess Moonard's party. Do you know her well?"</p> + +<p>"As well as most people know the mysterious Countess Donella Moonard," +Carl laughed. "Does anyone really know her? Surely you are not +acquainted with the Countess?"</p> + +<p>Pierre did not answer his question, but said directly: "Young man, I +will accept the invitation to call at your office. I never go about in +the daylight, but if you would be there sometime in the——"</p> + +<p>"Make it tomorrow evening. I'll be there until midnight," Carl said +quickly.</p> + +<p>"Very well, but I do not come because I think that you can do anything +for me."</p> + +<p>He looked at Ruth again. Self-consciously she put her hands to her +throat.</p> + +<p>Pierre added significantly: "Perhaps I may be able to help <i>you</i>. If +there are no stars or moonlight, I will call on you."</p> + +<p>"I don't understand. What does the absence of stars and moonlight have +to do with your calling on me?"</p> + +<p>"I will explain that later. If I may offer a word of advice to the +young lady, I am sure I might save both of you from——" Pierre +faltered. So much to explain, so much that was unexplainable! How +could he hope that these two young people would believe him?</p> + +<p>"You were about to say——?" Ruth looked interested.</p> + +<p>"You have made a foolish bargain with someone. The price you will pay +is too high. But it grows late, and I am sure there is little I can say +to you just now. Perhaps I have said too much already. Until we meet +again, I bid you good evening!" Pierre removed his hat, and bowed in a +low sweeping movement.</p> + +<hr class="tb"> + +<p>Ruth could not restrain her gasp of horror as she saw the man's head. +It was scarred and smelled strongly of burning hair. He had forgotten +that he should not remove his hat. Mumbling an embarrassed apology, +Pierre hurried into the darkness beyond the gate.</p> + +<p>"Carl, did you see his hair? The man looked as if he had been horribly +burned!" Ruth cried when he was gone.</p> + +<p>"The most awful-looking man I have ever seen. All your fault too; you +would insist on walking in the night air. Why did we have to walk all +the way around the garden? The Countess' parties always do this to you, +Ruth. They give you the craziest ideas."</p> + +<p>"Then you do remember what she prophesied tonight!" Ruth exclaimed. +"Really, isn't it uncanny? Tonight the Countess told me that I would +take a new step in my life; something would happen that would change +everything for me. She said it would begin with a horrible fright. And +I was frightened, Carl. Do you suppose——"</p> + +<p>"Suppose nothing!" Carl replied with some exasperation. "The Countess +and her fake prophecies are without weight to me. You women are always +falling for the ways of some old crone with a crystal or a deck of +cards in her hand. Besides, she may have planted that old man in our +path tonight just to make her claims more convincing. How do we know +but that all of that horrible appearance was not just so much clever +make-up?"</p> + +<p>"I know it wasn't."</p> + +<p>"How do you know?"</p> + +<p>"I just do, Carl." She smiled at him. "I believe everything the +Countess has told me. But, come, dearest, we must be returning to the +party."</p> + +<p>She took his hand, and turned back to the garden. Carl followed +reluctantly.</p> + +<p>"Ruth, I wish you would give up your devotion to the Countess and her +mad religion, or whatever it is. I don't like it. You've changed since +you have taken her so seriously. First thing I know you'll be a convert +to her—oh, what do you call it—moon worship?"</p> + +<p>She stopped and turned to him; her voice was strange and final in its +tone. "Carl, I am already a convert. The religion of Moonere has given +me everything I want in life. Soon I will take the sacred vows of its +followers."</p> + +<p>"You can't. I won't have it, I tell you. Oh, Ruth, surely you can't +believe in this preposterous, this unnatural faith? I don't know what +hellish power the Countess may have over you; but I do know that it +isn't natural for a normal girl, reared as you have been, suddenly to +accept a faith that even a heathen would sneer at! And I'm going to——"</p> + +<p>Carl was interrupted by the unheralded appearance of one of the +Countess Moonard's swarthy-skinned Egyptian servants. The man, tall and +sinisterly handsome, was dressed like all the Countess' menials; he +wore the brief, exotic attire of a slave in an ancient court or temple. +The servant bowed his head and made a peculiar sign which Ruth seemed +to understand.</p> + +<p>"The Countess desires to see you, most lovely maiden of the Temple of +Moonere," the servant said solemnly.</p> + +<p>"Maiden of the temple of Moonere!" Carl could not restrain his disgust. +"You tell your mistress I am taking Ruth home; and that if she wants to +see anyone about her insane religion, she may consult me."</p> + +<p>The servant did not answer him, but his eyes narrowed into slits of +cruelty and hatred. His lips curled contemptuously.</p> + +<p>"Nilathar, I will follow you to the priestess," Ruth said, ignoring +Carl's threat to take her home.</p> + +<p>"Ruth!" Carl pulled her to his side. "I'm not going to let you stay +here alone. You've got to listen to me."</p> + +<p>The servant broke Carl's grasp about Ruth's wrist, and pushed him from +her.</p> + +<p>"No one is to restrain a maiden of the temple when the priestess +calls," he said, standing between Ruth and Carl.</p> + +<p>"Why, you——" Carl lunged at the Egyptian, who quickly drew a knife. +The blade pressed against Carl's vest, and seemed only too eager to +press further. The servant smiled in mock courtesy.</p> + +<p>"The guests are departing. The Countess sends you her regrets, for she +is retiring with her faithful maidens," the servant said coldly. "Your +coat and hat will be brought to you."</p> + +<hr class="tb"> + +<p>Carl was furious, but a length of glittering steel in obviously adept +and determined hands is a deterrent to the most courageous, and will +instill restraint and judgment in the most foolhardy. What perplexed +Carl also left him with a feeling of helplessness—Ruth's apparent +lack of consideration of his danger. This was not like the girl he had +known since his early childhood; the girl who would have fought like +a tigress anyone who might have threatened Carl. Now she ignored him +entirely, as if it meant nothing to her that his encounter with the +servant might have proved fatal for him. He turned to make one final +plea to Ruth. She was gone.</p> + +<p>When his coat and hat were brought to him, he took them and said +with an ironic smile, "Tell the Countess I am overwhelmed with her +hospitality. She must call on me some day."</p> + +<p>Beneath the surface of Carl's polite departure swirled an undercurrent +of bewildered resentment. There was nothing natural about Ruth's +acceptance of the faith of Moonerism, whatever that was. Carl's +thoughts of the entire evening moved rapidly back to the hideous old +man they had met at the garden entrance; he recalled his words of +advice to Ruth: "You have made a foolish bargain with someone. The +price you will pay is too high."</p> + +<p>That old man must have sensed Ruth's intention to follow this strange +religion; he knew more about the Countess Moonard than he pretended. +But what? Nothing about the entire evening made sense. Ruth had become +a stranger to him, a beautiful stranger. The characterization seemed +significant, though in what way he could not fathom. Ruth had always +been an attractive girl, but recently he had found her beauty violently +compelling. And tonight, the strange new depths of her beauty had +made him marvel; it was a beauty of coldness and austerity, and it +frightened him. Ruth, the Ruth he knew, was and must be beautiful, but +never cold, never cruelly elusive.</p> + +<p>Something was happening to Ruth, something that was taking her away +from him. And that was not permissible. Carl Fielding did not allow +what he loved and wanted to be taken away from him. The Countess had +something to do with it, and he would fight her; but he must learn +something about her, the strange power she exercised over Ruth and the +other converts.</p> + +<p>Carl settled restlessly back into the interior of his car, musing +over the strange events of the evening. Who might know anything about +the Countess Moonard, other than her converts, whose lips were always +sealed with secrecy?</p> + +<p>Although it was a slim hope, there was his old friend, Inspector +Chadwick of Scotland Yard. Perhaps the eccentric detective would be +able to assist him.</p> + +<hr class="chap"> + +<p class="ph2"><i>2. A Weird Disappearance</i></p> + +<p>Early the next day, Inspector Chadwick looked up from his desk to +behold the troubled features of Doctor Carl Fielding. Carl had not +slept the night before, and his worry showed plainly on his face. +Chadwick leaned back in his swivel-chair, and greeted him in a tone of +mock seriousness.</p> + +<p>"So you've come to confess? Well, turn over the jewels, and I'll see +that they make it easy for you. I'll recommend hanging at the earliest +possible date. How are you, Doc? Haven't seen you since last spring. +Been intending to get around to your office for a little chat. Heard +you were engaged to be married. And from the looks of that long face +of yours, you must already be hitched. Sit down, put your feet on the +desk, smoke my cigars, and I'll even go so far as to offer you a good +drink of brandy just to show you my heart's in the right place."</p> + +<p>This was Chadwick's manner of treating everyone. He ran a continuous +flow of conversation, annoying his subject with the enforced silence; +but from this silence Chadwick often learned more than if he had +permitted him to talk. Inspector Chadwick could see that Carl had not +come to him for just a friendly visit.</p> + +<p>Carl sat down heavily, and looked at the smiling, round face of his +friend. He scarcely heard any of Chadwick's rattling greeting.</p> + +<p>"I thought I would—er——" Carl started to break into the Inspector's +incessant flow of chatter.</p> + +<p>"Ask me to lend you five pounds?" Chadwick went right on talking. +"There was a man in here the other day, had one glass eye, and one good +eye. He offered to give me either one as security for a slight loan. +You look like a sick canary. What have you been doing to yourself? I +always said doctors were poor advertisements for their remedies. Try +this brandy; it might put a little color into your face. Good idea +there! I'll play doctor, and you be the inspector for a while. If this +Crayton case keeps up any longer, I'm going to be a first-class medico +anyway. You know, it's one of those very technical points; all about +this and that. Practically have to understand medicine to get any sense +out of the thing. Should be right up your alley. How do you like my +American speech? Notice I talk more like an American than I do a loyal +subject of the king? Need that effect. Been working on terms, tones, +pronunciations. Oh, so much to change! How about having dinner with me?"</p> + +<p>"See here, Chadwick, will you be quiet for a minute, and let me talk?" +Carl finally blurted out.</p> + +<p>Chadwick threw back his head and laughed, a hearty laugh that shook +his broad shoulders and made his face redder than it already was. "Oh, +so you want to talk? Well, well, fancy that! All right, Doc; you talk, +and I'll listen. But if it's about me being best man at your wedding, +that's off. I don't look right in formal dress. When is the wedding, by +the way?"</p> + +<p>"Unless I get some help, there may not be any wedding." Carl looked +soberly at him.</p> + +<p>"Help?" Chadwick laughed again. "What do you want me to do, persuade +the girl to marry you? I thought you had already proposed."</p> + +<p>"Chadwick, did you ever hear of a religious cult known as Moonerism?" +Carl ignored his friend's attempt at humor.</p> + +<p>Chadwick became serious almost immediately.</p> + +<p>"The Countess Donella Moonard?" he asked.</p> + +<p>"Yes. Ruth, the girl I'm going to marry, has suddenly been seized with +a desire to become one of her followers. Chadwick, there's something +uncanny about the Countess and her religion. You probably know more +about her activities than anyone else in London. So I——"</p> + +<p>"I'm afraid I know very little." Chadwick rose from his chair, and +walked restlessly about the office. The religion of Moonerism had +been brought to the attention of Scotland Yard once before; however, +investigation of the Countess Moonard had only revealed that she +believed in a religion having to do with certain astral and planetary +bodies. Those who gave themselves up to its teachings never revealed +the secrets; and those who tried to learn more were either converted or +by some strange manner suddenly and for ever frightened from attempting +to obtain further knowledge.</p> + +<p>"Surely there is something we could do about it." Carl began walking +back and forth with his friend. "You know how I feel about Ruth's +acceptance of such a strange faith. Besides, Chadwick, I have reason to +believe that—well——"</p> + +<p>The words stuck in his throat. He could not bring himself to believe +that the Countess or anyone else really had supernatural powers; +furthermore what he was beginning to suspect was beyond belief.</p> + +<p>"Doc, there's really nothing we can do about this, except to try and +persuade your fiancée to use better judgment. There are many strange +religious cults in London. As long as they do not break any of our +laws, we cannot stop them. No one has ever found out enough about +the Countess and her beliefs to justify a thorough investigation. +Her following is comparatively small, mostly beautiful women—very +beautiful women."</p> + +<p>"That's just it," Carl said excitedly. "All of them are beautiful and +young in appearance. The Countess herself—she must be seventy if she's +a day, but look at her. Her face is ageless. Chadwick, you know that +I would be the last person in the world to waste time over foolish +beliefs in the supernatural; yet—well, I've noticed that Ruth has +become—different. I see it in her face, in her actions, in——"</p> + +<p>"Of course you do. All those religions require a certain amount of +fanatical devotion. Ruth is young and impressionable. Perhaps if you +took her away for a while?"</p> + +<p>"But that's just it! She seems to move as if controlled by another +mind. Last night I was almost stabbed trying to keep her from staying +with the Countess, and the affair left her entirely unimpressed with my +danger."</p> + +<p>"Stabbed?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, by one of the Countess' servants. Look, Chadwick, you are clever +at obtaining secrets. Why can't you work on this, and really find out +what happens to those who take up Moonerism?"</p> + +<p>"I know what happens. They follow it to their death. Apparently they +lead normal lives outside of their activities within the temple. What +can Scotland Yard do about that? Today people have a right to worship +as they please, you know."</p> + +<p>"Oh, you don't grasp what I mean. I think there is something beyond +the ordinary enchantment of a strange religious faith. Call it what +you will, the Countess Donella Moonard has a power over the few people +she contacts; and that power is transforming Ruth from a lovely girl +into——" Carl shuddered.</p> + +<p>"Come, come, Doc. You're allowing this too much importance. I will +admit the acceptance of the religion is bad enough; but after all, I +know of at least fifty prominent women, in good society, who believe in +Moonerism. They are not faring so badly."</p> + +<hr class="tb"> + +<p>The telephone on Inspector Chadwick's desk began ringing impatiently. +He picked up the phone.</p> + +<p>"This is Inspector Chadwick." He smiled at Carl. "You say you want to +speak to Doctor Fielding? Why, of course. He's right here in my office."</p> + +<p>"No one knew I was here. Who——" Carl took the phone with an +expression of puzzled fear. "Ruth! Yes, dearest. At once. Of course. +Please try to control yourself. I'll be there as quickly as I can."</p> + +<p>He banged the receiver down, and turned to Chadwick. "Ruth calling me. +She's talking strangely. Said someone put your phone number in her +mind. She wants me at once. Come with me, Chadwick. Something's wrong."</p> + +<p>"I'm on my way now!" Chadwick followed Carl out of the office.</p> + +<p>Reaching Ruth's apartment in record time, Carl was startled by the look +of fear in her eyes. She looked as if she had just been awakened from a +horrible nightmare, as she stood before him in her negligee; her light +brown hair, usually so well-brushed and sleek, was now a wild mass of +disorder.</p> + +<p>"Oh, Carl! Carl! What has happened to me? Where have I been?" She ran +to his arms.</p> + +<p>"Why, Ruth, don't you remember? I left you last night at the Countess +Moonard's. You insisted upon staying."</p> + +<p>"Yes, yes, I remember that. Then I went to sleep. The Countess said——"</p> + +<p>Her eyes closed. She seemed about to faint.</p> + +<p>"She said what?" Carl took her shoulders between his hands and shook +her anxiously. "Ruth, what did she say?"</p> + +<p>Ruth's eyes opened. The fear came into them again, and she began crying +hysterically. "Oh, it can't be! Carl, I'm lost! Lost!" she sobbed.</p> + +<p>"Ruth, you must get a grip on yourself and tell us what happened."</p> + +<p>Carl led her to a chair, into which she dropped, limp and helpless. +Suddenly she started talking again, her eyes staring widely.</p> + +<p>"I don't know. I don't remember what happened after I fell asleep at +the Countess'. I should remember. I want to remember what she said +to me, and I'm afraid now. I awoke here in my room. I heard a voice +calling to me. There was no one here, no one with a voice like the one +that was calling me. It's calling now! It's warning me, Carl, warning +me not to go on. Listen! I can hear it so plainly. It's a voice—a +voice like that old man's. The old man with the horrible face, and +eyes, and—oh, Carl, Carl, what did I do? Now there are two voices. The +Countess is telling me to come back—to sleep, to sleep. And that old +man is saying: 'Don't listen to her; listen to me. I am your master. +Moonere will take your soul to a hell beyond hell!'"</p> + +<p>Her voice broke with uncontrollable sobbing. She began babbling +insanely.</p> + +<p>"There's nothing I can do for her now, except to quiet her," Carl said +finally. "She needs sleep. A sedative, and perhaps we can get her mind +back to normal."</p> + +<p>Under Carl's care, Ruth was soon asleep; although her body convulsed +with sudden spasms of fear that came even through her slumber, as if +she were defending herself from unseen demons who were dragging her +away. Gently closing the door of her bedroom, he returned to talk with +Chadwick.</p> + +<p>While Carl had been inducing her to sleep, Chadwick had discovered a +small necklace upon the carpet. It looked as if it had been torn from +someone's throat with great violence.</p> + +<p>"Ever see this before?" Chadwick held the glittering pendant out to +Carl.</p> + +<p>"Why, yes. Ruth was wearing it last night. It is something new she +picked up."</p> + +<p>"No, nothing new about this." Chadwick shook his head. "This is the +symbol of Moonerism. I've seen them before. Never this close, however. +Notice the pendant?"</p> + +<p>For the first time, Carl observed the pendant closely. It was oval, +about two inches and a half long, about an inch and a half wide, and +apparently of some onyx-like substance. It glowed with an unearthly, +blue-black light, faint but perceptible. At the upper side, and a +little to the right, a small glittering stone was set; a stone that +glowed as if it were imbued with some cruel, radiant life. From this +stone, a thin line of light traced downward to the lower center of the +oval, where another and larger stone was set. When the thin line of +light reached this second sphere, it grew brighter and engulfed it in a +consuming glow.</p> + +<p>"Feel this thing," Chadwick said, handing it to Carl.</p> + +<p>"Why, it's cold as ice!" Carl gasped.</p> + +<p>"Wonder what that design means?" Chadwick took the necklace back again. +"You know, Doc, it looks to me as if the Countess Moonard is going to +be thoroughly investigated this time. As soon as Ruth awakens, we must +try to get more information from her. No doubt she was hypnotized. But +this old man she speaks of——"</p> + +<p>"I know who she means. I'll tell you about him; but first, I want to +take another look at her. I think I had better get a nurse, and——"</p> + +<p>Carl was moving to the bedroom as he spoke. When he opened the door, he +let out a cry: "She's gone!"</p> + +<p>"What!" Inspector Chadwick made his way to the door in two leaps.</p> + +<p>A hasty search of the room and the adjoining bath revealed nothing. The +open window with the curtains blowing lazily was their only clue.</p> + +<p>"Kidnapped!" whistled Chadwick. "Now this <i>is</i> a case for Scotland +Yard. Come on; we're going to pay a visit to the Countess."</p> + +<p>They were hurrying for the door when the telephone in the hallway began +ringing.</p> + +<p>"Answer it." Chadwick turned upon his heels. "May be important."</p> + +<p>The voice Carl heard over the telephone made his face suddenly pale. +It was the voice of Pierre Soret, saying: "Doctor Fielding, you must +trust the fate of your fiancée to me. She is being taken back to the +Temple of Moonere, but do not permit any rash blunders by the police to +interfere. Her life will pay the penalty. I am your friend. Wait until +tonight, and I will come to your office, if the stars permit."</p> + +<hr class="chap"> + +<p class="ph2"><i>3. The Cult of Moonere</i></p> + +<p>Doctor Fielding looked from his watch to the window of his office, +opening upon a black velvet night. He had encountered considerable +difficulty in restraining Inspector Chadwick from going at once to the +Countess Moonard's home in search of Ruth. Now he was further annoyed +by the torture of doubt. Had he been foolish in obeying the voice—the +voice of an old man he had seen only once before? Perhaps the telephone +call had only been a trick to delay the rescue of Ruth. That could be, +for it was very late, and there was no sign of the old man, although +the sky was without a twinkle of starlight.</p> + +<p>The telephone on his desk disturbed his thoughts with its jangling +ring. He answered impatiently; it would be Inspector Chadwick calling +again to find out if the mysterious old man had made his appearance.</p> + +<p>"I think I should take a look around the Countess' home," Chadwick was +insisting.</p> + +<p>"No! We've gone this far; we must hold out. There's someone at the door +now. It's surely he. I'll call you when he's gone," Carl shouted into +the telephone, crashed the receiver on the hook, and ran to the door.</p> + +<p>It was only the charwoman, armed with buckets and mops for her nightly +duties.</p> + +<p>"Sorry, doctor," she said, pushing a stray wisp of grimy hair from her +eyes, "but I thought if ye didn't mind, I would be cleanin' yer office. +But then if I'll bother ye——"</p> + +<p>"Yes, you will," Carl answered hastily. "Forget about my office for +this one night. I am expecting a caller." He took some loose coins from +his pocket and gave them to her. "Here, take these and buy yourself a +midnight snack."</p> + +<p>"Ah, thank ye, sir, and God bless ye, sir, and——"</p> + +<p>Carl had to push her gently but firmly out of the door to shut off the +flood of almost tearful gratitude the old woman was heaping upon him.</p> + +<p>He closed the door, and turned again to search the sky for any trace of +unwelcome stars when a scream echoed down the corridor of the offices. +Throwing open the door, he saw the old man standing in the corridor, +his black cape covering his face. The charwoman was hastening down the +stairs, gesticulating and screaming with fright.</p> + +<p>"She saw my face," the man in black said simply.</p> + +<p>Carl ushered him into his office, and quickly locked the door. Pierre +now kept his cape wrapped about his face as he looked suspiciously +about the office.</p> + +<p>"Are we alone?" he asked.</p> + +<p>"Yes. I've been waiting all evening for you. Now please tell me about +Ruth. Is she all right? Oh, what does it all mean anyway?"</p> + +<p>Carl hurried him to a chair in front of his desk, and then seated +himself. Pierre sat down, but still remained covered.</p> + +<p>"Doctor Fielding, I am glad that you trusted my telephone call this +afternoon," Pierre began to speak. "When I told you last night that +I would come to see you, it was because I wanted to help you. Your +fiancée was in danger. I saw the sign of Moonere upon her throat."</p> + +<p>"You mean this?" Carl displayed the necklace Chadwick had found that +afternoon.</p> + +<p>"Yes, that is the mark of the Countess Moonard—the beginning of what +will eventually become this!" Pierre stood up, throwing the cape from +his face.</p> + +<p>For a moment Carl's senses reeled. He gripped the edge of his desk, +and leaned unsteadily against the back of his chair. He felt the blood +drain from his head; he had not felt this way since his first days in +the dissecting-room at the medical school. His horror shamed him. After +all, he was a doctor who was supposed to be able to stand the ghastly +sight of blood and injury. But this was different! What he saw in +Pierre's face was beyond ordinary gore!</p> + +<p>The face seemed to be afire. It looked like flesh that was slowly being +cooked. The eyes bulged and smoke seemed to swirl from them. And above +it all there was the horrible stench of charred human skin.</p> + +<p>For a long moment Pierre said nothing. Carl could not speak, although +he fought bravely to gain control of his feelings.</p> + +<p>"Not a very encouraging sight, is it, doctor?" Pierre broke the awful +silence.</p> + +<p>"I—I can't believe it. It's not possible—it—in God's name, man, what +caused this?" Carl finally gasped.</p> + +<p>"Moonere!" Pierre's pained eyes looked into Carl's.</p> + +<p>"Moonere?"</p> + +<p>"Perhaps you know her better by the name of the Countess Donella +Moonard. The beautiful Countess Moonard and Moonere, the sorceress, +daughter of the God of Sudre, are one. Your fiancée is marked for the +sacrifice that for the last ten thousand years has offered up its +beautiful captives to the greedy God of Sudre!"</p> + +<p>"Sudre? Where is Sudre?" Carl stared at him incredulously.</p> + +<p>"Sudre is another world, another planet, with another scheme of +life—a scheme of life more complex than any dream of our existence, +more terrible than all the horrors of history, beyond comprehension +by any of our sciences or philosophies. It is all we are, refined and +horribly exaggerated in some phases, until our most potent symbols of +evil are only weak caricatures beside it. It is evil transcendent and +all-powerful. It is the natural, purged of any goodness, and become +supernatural and transcendent. A few men of ancient Egypt knew of its +existence, knew of the All-Powerful One of Sudre, who has been playing +his evil jest upon the helpless people of this earth for countless +centuries."</p> + +<hr class="tb"> + +<p>Carl could only stare at Pierre, trying to realize meaning from the +strange sounds he made. It was as if he listened to a man from another +world.</p> + +<p>"You do not understand, I know." Pierre sat down again, wearily. "But I +will make you understand, if you will only hear me out. You must try to +grasp what I tell you."</p> + +<p>Pleadingly Pierre's scarred hand reached across the desk and touched +Carl's fingers. Hastily Pierre withdrew his hand as he saw the look of +revulsion upon Carl's face. Carl felt himself sicken at the feeling of +unearthly coldness of the man's skin. The feeling of coldness was not +in keeping with the appearance. To look at him was to think of fire, +all-consuming fire!</p> + +<p>"The way my hand felt to you just then is the way my skin is all over +my body," Pierre said. "Touch it, if you dare. You are a doctor. +Examine me. These sores that look like boils and fire—feel them, and +you will know the cold sensation of a billion miles of space."</p> + +<p>Carl's hand moved slowly to Pierre's face. With dread reluctance, his +fingertips traced over the pitted, irregular features. It was like +feeling an iced corpse, only worse, for this flesh was alive. When he +withdrew his hand, he beheld a trace of damp, bluish substance upon his +fingers.</p> + +<p>Pierre spoke again: "Last night when I told you of the stars, you +wondered what they had to do with my going out. Now you see my hopeless +state; you see the unspeakable ugliness of my face. You must believe +that all of this is a part of the curse the stars have in store for +those who defy Moonere. When the moon and the stars loom so brightly in +the evening sky, my flesh boils; my blood steams and courses through +my veins, sending poison, poison from Sudre—moon-poisoning throughout +my body. It is not the heated fire of the sun or of a furnace, but a +cold, blue fire that chills as it burns, yet burns more intensely than +a thousand blasts from hell.</p> + +<p>"I am slowly being destroyed, because I have defied Moonere and sought +to drive her from the earth. Do you know what it is to be destroyed, +to be conscious every minute of your slow journey to death? Look! I'll +show you a picture." Pierre took from his pocket a small photograph.</p> + +<p>Carl looked from the photo to the man who stood before him. There was +no resemblance. The picture was of an intelligent man in his late +thirties. He was tall and straight, with a splendid, manly physique, +and handsome face that was crowned with heavy black hair, graying at +the temples.</p> + +<p>"That is a picture of Professor Pierre Soret." Pierre stood up, +pointing to the picture in Carl's hand. "You see the man was tall, a +large man, an athlete in his college days. Now look at him!" He made a +disdainful gesture to his present slight figure that was scarcely five +feet in height. "I am the same man of that photograph taken over ten +years ago. But there is no way I could prove it, because I am slowly +being burned to a stony cinder."</p> + +<p>"I can't believe it," Carl cried out against the madness of his +thoughts. "How can you expect me to believe that this woman has been +able to destroy you like this? What fiendish power, even of the +supernatural, could do this to a man?"</p> + +<p>"The crystal of Sudre in Moonere's temple. Like the light-collecting +principle of our modern telescopes and reflectors, it draws together +the beams of Sudre into one hellish and destructive fire.</p> + +<p>"Sudre is a world, a satellite of the outermost planet of our solar +system. Astronomers have not discovered this moon, Sudre, for it is +not of sufficient size or density to enter into their calculations; +and its discovery would disclose none of its power of evil, even if it +were charted. Nor do they realize that upon it burns a fire that is +controlled by the evil magic of the God of Sudre. Upon certain nights +of the month, when it is on the side of that outer planet which is +facing earth, the power of that fiery creation is directed upon me. +Even when it is on the other side of that planet—and it revolves +about it once every twenty-seven of our days—those rays come down +to earth with sufficient power to keep me living in the painful +realization of my certain death.</p> + +<p>"And there is life there; a life of eternal evil, like nothing science +has ever yet discovered or ever will discover—life that would strike +horror in the strongest hearts of the most coldly impersonal scientific +explorer. The life of the undead, of which you have heard in your tales +of earth horror, is nothing compared with its evilness."</p> + +<hr class="tb"> + +<p>The old man's voice droned on. "I will not dwell upon a description of +them, for it is this threat to your own fiancée's life that prompts +me to even mention this to you. This evil beyond hell, which is the +Countess Moonard's power—the crystal of Sudre——"</p> + +<p>He broke off a short moment, then resumed: "You have seen the sun's +powerful rays burning paper under a magnifying lens? Upon almost the +same principle, yet using the crystal of Sudre instead of glass, +Moonere burns her lovely offerings upon the altar of the God of Sudre. +Few men are ever sacrificed to Sudre; it is almost always women, for +the God of Sudre is a carnal fiend, delighting in despoiling chastity +and ravishing virginity.</p> + +<p>"Each convert to Moonerism is given a super-thrill in the discovery +of how beautiful she can become. Ah, that is the way Moonere first +enslaves her victims. They come to her seeking beauty. She promises +them eternal loveliness, beyond even their dreams; and when they do as +she decrees, they always receive this precious desire of every woman. +That is why no one ever reveals the secret of Moonere. They do not +dare, for she not only holds their lives in her hands, once they come +to her, but she also holds woman's most priceless treasure—beauty. +Every year, lovely women sink into the depths of despair and torture +because they seek the unnatural grant of beauty from the God of Sudre."</p> + +<p>Carl cried out, suddenly remembering: "You're right! That was the way +Ruth was trapped, I'm sure. I have seen the change in her."</p> + +<p>"True, young man, although your fiancée is not yet fully enslaved. +Tomorrow night, the full force of the rays of destruction from Sudre +will fall upon earth. Moonere will hold her rites to the God of Sudre. +Once the girl has danced within the temple of the maidens of Moonere, +there will be no salvation for her. To leave Moonere, or to defy her, +would mean the doom you now see in my face."</p> + +<p>"But how were you trapped?" Carl asked.</p> + +<p>"I will tell you of that. You see the secret of Moonere has never +been new to me. From my earliest youth I knew that my life was to be +dedicated to the destruction of Moonere and the evil reign of the God +of Sudre; just as my ancestors have fought and died in silence for this +curse. In my family, throughout the centuries, the knowledge of Sudre +and Moonere has existed. We dared not reveal it; and even if we had +done so, none would have believed us. Yet all of it is true.</p> + +<p>"From ancient cities, long since buried beneath the sands of the +deserts, to modern London, Moonere has slipped inconspicuously through +life, carrying the curse of the God of Sudre, while my family has +silently borne the banner of humanity. Although I am only a few years +past forty, my knowledge of science and the ancient arts is far +advanced. Were it not for the fact that I have the jealously guarded +secrets of all these generations behind me, I could never have attained +the ability I now have.</p> + +<p>"That ability will explain your fiancée's strange actions in the +earlier part of the day. I have taken over her mind. Telepathy is one +power that Moonere and I both have in common. She thinks that is the +only weapon I have, but she is wrong. At last I have discovered a more +powerful ray than the one that burns in the glass of Sudre. With it, I +hope to destroy Moonere and free the world of the constant threat of +her accursed power."</p> + +<p>"But what will become of Ruth?" Carl asked anxiously.</p> + +<p>"I may be able to save her, if you help me. Today Moonere knew that I +had taken Ruth's mind from her powerful grasp. It was I who awakened +her from the sleep Moonere sent her to last night. It was I who kept +warning her to beware."</p> + +<p>"Yes, I know. That was what frightened her—the sound of your voice."</p> + +<p>"Of course, and she called for you. I gave her the telephone number +of your friend. But when you arrived, you gave her a sedative, thus +undoing much of my good work."</p> + +<p>"But how did you know what I gave her? You were not there."</p> + +<p>"I saw everything nevertheless. I will tell you how later. I saw the +Countess' servants kidnap your fiancée while she slept. I saw them take +her to the temple where she will be forcibly detained until the night +of the sacrifice."</p> + +<p>"And that will be——"</p> + +<p>"Tomorrow night. The rays will be at their maximum intensity. If +everything goes right, and it is the will of God that I defeat this +devil-daughter from another world, your fiancée will be returned to +you, unharmed; the many tortured souls who now follow Moonere will +be freed; and the world will be rid of at least one black scourge of +unholiness. The work of my family will be finished."</p> + +<p>"But you still haven't told me why you were burned by the crystal," +Carl interrupted.</p> + +<p>"So I haven't. And you need that to convince you further that I am +not a madman spinning lies to lure you into lunacy, eh? Well, it +was through my desire to test my ray with which I hope to destroy +Moonere. That was ten years ago, shortly after the death of my father. +I was so sure that with this ray nothing could prevent my success in +exterminating Moonere that I went to her home. I knew just where to +find the secret entrance that leads to the temple of the maidens. No +one else could have found it. The home of the Countess Moonard was +built sixty years ago; and in all of London, neither you nor Scotland +Yard combined could find a trace of the architects who constructed it. +It is so ingeniously arranged to mislead a curious snooper that one +could spend the rest of his life wandering from one false corridor +into another, never getting anywhere. No, only I could find the secret +entrance that leads to the temple with its star-glass in the roof. The +plan of the house is the same as was her first temple many centuries +ago."</p> + +<hr class="tb"> + +<p>"You mean the Countess is immortal?"</p> + +<p>"Of course; that is, the lifetime of Moonere does not correspond with +any human conception of a life-span. Moonere, or the Countess Moonard, +as she has been known here in London, is from another planet, and has +lived on this earth, serving the God of Sudre, for many ages. As long +as she serves faithfully, she will live at his will. If she never +offends her fiendish deity, she will live eternally. Even in my family, +where the knowledge of her has existed for many centuries, there is no +record of her beginning. You will find that hard to believe, because +such things are beyond the comprehension of men. It will always be so +with the mysteries of this world. Only a few learn the solemn secrets, +and they find their knowledge a curse, their lips forever sealed by +man's eternal skepticism.</p> + +<p>"But as I started to tell you, when Moonere and I finally clashed, +my ray proved a failure—a fault I have corrected. I was seized and +dragged down into the center of the temple. My clothes were torn from +me, and I was thrown upon the altar. The crystal burned; the poison +crept into my body. I thought that my time had arrived, that this would +mean death. But that was not her plan. I was exposed only for a few +brief moments, much the same as the convert who takes the final vows. +Then I was released. Mind you, I was set free. I could go to the police +and Scotland Yard if I wanted to. I could tell them my story."</p> + +<p>"Why didn't you?"</p> + +<p>"Do you think they would believe such a story? Furthermore, even if I +took them to the temple, to the very altar, what could I prove? Upon +the surface, Moonere has nothing that would arouse any suspicion beyond +ordinary curiosity."</p> + +<p>"But your face—you were horribly disfigured after the exposure to the +glass, were you not?"</p> + +<p>"No. That is not the way the glass first interprets the ray of Sudre. +Those exposed to it for only a brief moment upon the altar, find that +their youth, their physical charm, is doubly enhanced. When I was +thrown from the temple, I looked years younger; my hair, which was +turning gray before I entered, became black and glossy again. I could +not look into a mirror without realizing the wonderful appearance +that had been given to me. But it was only temporary. That is the way +Moonere holds her victims for ever, sealing their lips, and bending +them to unending servitude. The beauty does not last. Only by constant +bathing in the rays beneath the glass can one keep fresh. Deny yourself +those rays and the aid of Moonere, and you find your entire body slowly +being destroyed. One look into the mirror, by a victim so denied, is +enough to enslave the soul with fear.</p> + +<p>"Any night when the heavens are filled with the diffused rays of its +many bodies, and Sudre is between earth and the planet about which it +revolves, the torture of slowly being burned to a cinder increases +for me. That is why I remain inside my home, which I have succeeded +in partially insulating from them. That is why I can walk about in +the fresh air upon only those all too few dark nights. In my home, I +work with my inventions, the findings of many years of research by +my family. But each night, Moonere and the Thing of Sudre send their +rays to me. It is their jest, a further extension of their joy in +the torture of mere mortals. My body now has an attraction for those +rays. Even behind the closed, insulated walls, I feel their burn. With +my present ray-machine, I have been combating them. Every night, if +you could only see with your normal eyes the battle of Moonere's ray +of death and my own discovered ray, you would know what a strange, +unbelievable life I lead."</p> + +<p>Carl looked wan and weary. Just now it seemed to him that there was +nothing real about anything. The man who stood before him with his +horrible face, his story of Moonere—everything was like a mad plot and +setting for a dream of horror. All he could do was trust and pray that, +through this man who knew the secrets, Ruth would be saved from a life +far worse than death.</p> + +<p>"All this is so strange, so far removed from reality," Carl said. +"There is nothing I can do but follow your directions. I will do +anything to save Ruth from this life."</p> + +<p>"Then you must come with me." Pierre stood up and threw his cape +about his face. "I will take you to my home. There are many things I +must teach you before tomorrow night, the night of the sacrifice. I +will have great need of your assistance in my laboratory. You will be +protected with everything my knowledge can give you. Perhaps I should +warn you that I believe tomorrow night Moonere will seek to destroy me +entirely. If you are with me, you may suffer a similar fate. Shall we +go?"</p> + +<p>"We go!" Carl rose to his feet, and hurriedly put on his coat and hat.</p> + +<p>Once outside, under the low-hanging canopy of the black night's sky, +Pierre breathed heavily, as if the murky air of night was doubly +precious to him.</p> + +<p>"Young man, you are about to witness what no one outside my own family +has ever seen. You will see the work of many past generations, and you +will see strange inventions that are of the future. Science has been +very slow in its progress, compared with what my family has achieved." +Pierre laughed, a rather cracked and squeaky laugh, somewhat disturbing +to Carl; it was the first time he had heard the man laugh. "Indeed, +my boy, if you live through this, you will never forget it; yet you +will never be able to tell another soul. Imagine it! How little the +people on this world really know of what is going on about them! Here +is busy, foggy, magnificent, dingy, dirty London with her many souls +living their frustrated daily lives, their noses to the ground; and +every night a drama they can never see is played up there in the sky. +In their very midst two houses hold the powers and the secrets of ages +beyond recall!"</p> + +<hr class="chap"> + +<p class="ph2"><i>4. The Scene in the Bowl</i></p> + +<p>Pierre's home was a decaying old town house of red brick, with bleak +shuttered windows and a gray slate roof. Conservative and ancient, it +stood like an unfriendly hermit, far back from the street.</p> + +<p>Carl was impressed with the solid, substantial appearance of the old +house. At one end of it, the north wing, was a glass-enclosed room, +beginning at the second story and ending slightly above the regular +roof-line of the building. The front door was of fortified steel. To +the dull surface of the door was secured a substantial bronze tablet, +covered with a rich patina of long exposure, on which were inscribed +the words:</p> + +<p class="ph3">BRING NOT YOUR TALES OF THE WORLD<br> +YOU KNOW, FOR BEHIND THIS DOOR<br> +LIES A WORLD YOU WILL NEVER ENTER.</p> + +<p>"A most hospitable door," Carl said.</p> + +<p>"Yes, a door without a latch-key," Pierre replied.</p> + +<p>"Then how do you open it?"</p> + +<p>His question was answered with the silent movement of the steel door, +as if someone had opened it from the inside; although in the dim light +of the reception hall, Carl could see no sign of another occupant.</p> + +<p>"It opens by cutting off the beam of light that passes from the post +at one side of the door to the post on the other," Pierre said, as he +ushered Carl into the hallway.</p> + +<p>Carl turned and watched the door close silently behind him.</p> + +<p>"You have them in some of your modern office buildings," Pierre +continued. "This door has opened that way for the past forty years. My +father developed the principle. Come, we will go to my observatory."</p> + +<p>Pierre led Carl to a narrow stairway leading upward to the north +wing. Up one flight they moved silently. A dim blue light illuminated +the landing, and shed its ghostly rays down another hall. Up another +flight, leading in the same general direction, they walked. Carl felt +as if he were climbing slowly through a mad dream.</p> + +<p>Passing through a heavy, rivet-studded door, they entered the +laboratory. The room was vast, covering the entire top floor of the +house. The glass enclosure which he had seen from outside served only +one end and corner of this amazing room. The walls were of a peculiar +gray, glowing softly as if phosphorescent. Throughout the entire +expanse of the room there was arranged an incalculable assortment +of instruments, switch-boards, control-panels, glass and polished +chromium, copper and brass. To Carl it was like suddenly entering a +room fitted with all the strange instruments of the alchemists, and yet +it was like looking ahead, fifty, a hundred or even two hundred years +into the future.</p> + +<p>Pierre led the astounded Carl over beneath the glass dome. Here seemed +to be the major control position for all the complex horde of machines +that filled the room. In the center of this circular space stood a +small insulated platform. Upon it, supported by gleaming glass rods, +stood a huge, hollow hemisphere, from which emanated an eery blue +light. Coming closer and looking downward into it, Carl was thrilled to +see moving objects, familiar outlines of buildings he knew belonged to +that part of London called Piccadilly Circus.</p> + +<p>"This will explain the question you asked me earlier in the evening. +The inventors of modern television would be envious if they knew of +this creation. I need no transmitting station to bring into my home any +scene I may desire."</p> + +<p>Pierre quickly removed his cape, and began tinkering with an assortment +of strange knobs upon a large panel back of the bowl. The Piccadilly +Circus scene disappeared, and into its place came a picture of Ruth's +deserted apartment.</p> + +<p>Again Pierre turned the knobs, and the scene in the bowl became a +moving panorama of London streets. Swiftly they passed, until the +estate of the Countess Moonard appeared in the strange vessel.</p> + +<p>"It is astounding. How—how——?" Carl gasped.</p> + +<p>"To explain its operation would take all of our time, my boy. I have +many other things to show you, the work of my ancestors and myself. +This magnetic bowl has been most helpful. Through it I have been able +to follow the unholy activities of the Countess Moonard. That night +after I left you, I hurried back here and drew the light-rays of the +Countess Moonard's home into the bowl. I saw her anointing your fiancée +with the oils in preparation for the sacrifice to come; saw her filling +the mind of the girl with the evil suggestions of the God of Sudre. +When Ruth was sent back to her apartment, still in the trance of +Moonerism, I then took over her mind. I had to be cautious, as I did +not want her to confuse my suggestions with the thoughts of Moonere. +When you found Ruth this morning, the Countess and I were both battling +for control of the girl's mind."</p> + +<p>"Can you see where they have Ruth?" Carl asked anxiously.</p> + +<p>"Certainly!" Pierre turned the knobs again.</p> + +<hr class="tb"> + +<p>The little dials that traced the locations he wanted shivered onto the +desired points, and Carl beheld a thrilling sight. In the bowl there +was appearing a picture that resembled nothing of modern London. He saw +a temple of ancient Egypt. The towering pillars along the side of the +temple were adorned with strange hieroglyphics of forgotten beliefs. +The vision moved slowly, like a motion-picture camera shot traveling +to a close-up scene that ended at an altar where a mysterious fire was +burning. The picture remained steady for only a moment, then moved +on to a room filled with many pillows. Upon a richly draped couch, +Carl saw his fiancée lying as if in deep slumber. Negro slaves were +anointing her slim, white body with precious oils. The chamber of a +princess in some forgotten age this could have been—but the girl was +Ruth!</p> + +<p>"What are they doing to her?" Carl cried out, his fingers reaching into +the bowl as if he hoped to pluck her from the couch.</p> + +<p>"They are making ready for the night of the sacrifice. Every woman who +takes the vows of Moonere relinquishes her charms to the God of Sudre."</p> + +<p>"You mean——?" Carl's fists tightened.</p> + +<p>"It is the price each one pays for her beauty. Poor deluded fools! +They come to the Countess, seeking beauty and charm with which to win +and hold the man they love; instead, they give up their most priceless +virtue. The God of Sudre takes their charms onto himself."</p> + +<p>"How? You say this God is not of this world?" Carl asked.</p> + +<p>"Look!" Pierre changed the scene in the globe.</p> + +<p>Slowly the picture moved down the magnificent room. It approached a +bronze platform, and paused. There upon the bronze dais, standing +erect, was the golden image of a man, or demigod. The image was about +seven feet tall. The details were perfectly wrought, and every muscle +and fiber of that magnificent nude statue was the embodiment of the +perfect development of masculinity. Yet it was a sensual development, +eliminating all that might be good, and emphasizing all that is base +and carnal. The face was cruel beyond any conception of men. The +features were sharply brutal. Silent and motionless it stood, but the +eyes were alive; and from them burned a dull, blue-black light that +chilled Carl's blood as he watched.</p> + +<p>"That is the image of the God of Sudre," explained Pierre. "Tonight, +when the rays from Sudre become most intense, Sudre's spirit will +enter it, and it will become imbued with life, the evil life of Sudre. +Tonight it will indulge in an orgy of lust at which even the most +dissolute of ancient Romans would have shuddered. Your bride-to-be is +to give herself for ever to Sudre, and for ever she will be lost to +you. No mortal man will ever possess her."</p> + +<p>"No! No!" Carl cried out in tortured frustration.</p> + +<p>"You will see on the night of the sacrifice," Pierre said calmly.</p> + +<p>"But what are you going to do to save her? You haven't told me yet how +this monster can be stopped."</p> + +<p>"Everything I have and know, I will use. If I fail"—Pierre's shoulders +shrugged—"there is no one to carry out my work. If I win, Moonere will +be destroyed; the tortured souls, who have given all for beauty, will +at last be free. We have only a few hours more. As we have talked, this +night has passed. Another day is upon us; with its end comes the night +when the evil rays will be fully focussed. Moonere will again send the +hellish light that I have fought. Tonight I will use everything to +combat her—telepathy, advanced knowledge of science, and secrets that +will die with me."</p> + +<p>"But what shall I be doing?"</p> + +<p>"You will be helping me. Within these all too short hours, you will be +learning the operation of the many machines. Follow me."</p> + +<p>Pierre led him to another corner of the room, where an instrument, not +unlike a telescope, was placed. He handed Carl a pair of glasses with +very thick, colored lenses.</p> + +<p>"Look through these. Look into the instrument, and tell me what you +see."</p> + +<p>"It looks like a beam of light, but it seems to stop in the sky; it is +like a highway of white marble that ends abruptly," Carl said.</p> + +<p>"You see the ray from the fire on Sudre, traveling at a faster speed +than light, bringing with it the secret of beauty and death that only +the star-glass of Moonere can transmute to potency. Now watch this!"</p> + +<p>Pierre moved to a high stand that supported a cone-shaped searchlight +reflector. He made several deft adjustments, and then pushed in a +switch on the long panel that ran the length of the room. Carl, with +the aid of the glasses, could see a light-beam shoot into the heavens +and travel in the direction of the beam that seemed suspended in the +sky.</p> + +<p>"This is my latest invention. Everything depends upon it. Tonight you +will see a spectacular sight. Everything we do will be controlled from +here. You and I, working with science, destroying that which is beyond +this planet."</p> + +<p>Carl looked about him. He reached out his hand and touched a metal +laboratory bench; its solidity reassured his slipping sense of the +reality of it all. Dazed, he wandered again to the bowl. What he saw +made him start as if he had been shot with electricity. Inspector +Chadwick was struggling with two brawny servants in the temple.</p> + +<p>"It's Chadwick!" Carl cried. "They've captured him."</p> + +<hr class="tb"> + +<p>Pierre hurried to the glass.</p> + +<p>"The fool!" he rasped. "Why did he go there? I thought you had warned +that detective friend of yours to keep out of this. Now they will make +him a prisoner. They may not wait until tonight for the sacrifice to +destroy him."</p> + +<p>"Is there anything we can do?"</p> + +<p>"Nothing, unless they hold him for the dance of the maidens in the +temple. One thing certain, he will be burned as I was, or even +destroyed upon the altar. Watch closely, and you will see why no one +has ever betrayed the secret of Moonere."</p> + +<p>Breathlessly Carl watched them drag Chadwick into a small throneroom +where the Countess Moonard, clothed in the robes of an ancient +priestess, sat in serene majesty.</p> + +<p>They threw him down in front of the throne. He rose and shook his fist +threateningly at the Countess. She smiled; her long, deeply beautiful +eyes looked into his face. His trembling arms stopped shaking and +dropped limply to his side. He stood in hypnotized rigidity. She +pointed to a door that slowly opened. Chadwick walked meekly through +it. The slaves bowed before the Countess and followed him through the +door.</p> + +<hr class="chap"> + +<div class="figcenter"> + <img src="images/illus.jpg" alt=""> + <div class="caption"> + <p>"They threw him down in front of the throne."</p> + </div> +</div> + +<hr class="chap"> + +<p>"He's going into the dungeon. They are saving him for a later +sacrifice," Pierre said, almost relieved. "That means we have time; we +may save him."</p> + +<p>"Chadwick wouldn't have gone to the Countess' unless he suspected +something more than he let me know. He must have been well protected. +He's no fool. A man can't just disappear—not an Inspector from +Scotland Yard. Chadwick would have his men following him. They will get +him out of that dungeon," Carl spoke with growing determination.</p> + +<p>"You are mistaken." Pierre turned the knobs again.</p> + +<p>The bowl showed Chadwick's men rushing into the reception hall of the +Countess' home. Twisting the knob again, the bowl revealed the Countess +smiling innocently. A servant brought in three of Chadwick's men. They +began talking angrily to the Countess. Then the door where Chadwick had +gone down into the dungeon opened. He came out, and began talking to +his men.</p> + +<p>"They're leaving!" Carl cried.</p> + +<p>"Yes, he has instructed them to go. He has told them there is nothing +wrong. Your friend's mind no longer belongs to him; his every thought, +his words are the words and thoughts of Moonere. She has told him to +send the men away, assuring them that nothing is wrong. You see they +are gone. And now Chadwick returns to the dungeon."</p> + +<p>"Why can't you take over his mind as you did Ruth's? You said you could +do it. Why can't you free him from Moonere's grasp?"</p> + +<p>"I can," Pierre answered calmly, "but to do that would place your +fiancée in danger. Every minute I have concentrated upon her. Within +her mind is the continual conflict of two powers struggling for +supremacy. For the present, it is best that I whisper, 'Peace and +quiet,' to the girl. You see how she slumbers, so still and unmoving; +that aids my plan.</p> + +<p>"When the time comes for the sacrifice, they will discover that their +lovely maiden is not to join their dance of passion."</p> + +<p>Pierre began laughing at the thoughts that were damning Carl.</p> + +<p>"You need not fear, my friend; she will sleep, sleep; and nothing +Moonere can do will make her gratify the desires of the evil God of +Sudre. Tonight you will see a disappointed God!"</p> + +<hr class="chap"> + +<p class="ph2"><i>5. The Golden Image</i></p> + +<p>Throughout the hours, Carl crammed the many secrets of Pierre Soret's +strange machines. It seemed to him that he had forced the learning of +all the world into his brain.</p> + +<p>Midnight found him staring with weary eyes into the sky. The night +was clear; and above the dimly haze-rimmed horizon Carl could see the +metallic glitter of the stars. Looking through the telescope with his +specially designed glasses, he found the light-beam again. This time it +hovered very closely to the center of the heavens.</p> + +<p>Pierre moved from one machine to another, tightening little +adjustments, testing each minute detail.</p> + +<p>When the beam reached its zenith, he said: "Now we will see the +beginning of war."</p> + +<p>In the globe, Carl could see the temple. The fire upon the altar was +blazing brightly. Along the walls sat many slaves, playing strange +musical instruments. The light in the temple was blue, the silvery, +all-pervading blue of moonlight.</p> + +<p>"Tonight they will begin the dance of invitation to the God of Sudre." +Pierre peered over Carl's shoulder into the bowl. "Before his golden +image, they will perform the subtle dance of seduction, inviting him to +come and take them in his arms, and embrace them. You see the beam of +light. From Sudre it has traveled the miles of space, and hurried with +its concentrated rays into the star-glass. See how the flames upon the +altar blaze tonight. The dance begins with Moonere's entrance. She will +give her signal. Watch!"</p> + +<p>The Countess Moonard entered the temple from a small door at one +end, walked slowly through the throng, each worshipper bowing as she +passed, and came before the image of Sudre. Standing there, she was +both terrifying and beautiful. Her body became slowly rigid. She flung +back her head, and her long, black hair fell down behind her. Her +body glowed with sensuous intensity. She raised her arms slowly, in +supplication and desire, and then let them fall to her side.</p> + +<p>The musicians increased the tempo of their playing. Onto the floor of +the temple came the dancing forms of many beautiful women, clad only in +their long hair that waved like misty light about their supple bodies. +Arms outstretched, they danced rhythmically before the idol. In the +pale blue light of the temple, their forms were like white marble +statues suddenly breathing life. Around and around before the God they +danced, their passionate movements growing more and more intense.</p> + +<p>Carl watched, revolted and yet fascinated by the obscene gyrations +of these beautiful nude dancers who threw their charms in rhythmic +supplication toward the golden image.</p> + +<p>Shadows darted about the temple walls, shadows of arms raised high +and lowered quickly across sculptured white curves, shadows of bodies +thrusting and withdrawing with compelling seductiveness. Beautiful +faces, swelling breasts, and eyes that cried for love—the love of an +inhuman idol of gold!</p> + +<p>"It's moving!" Pierre cried. "The God of Sudre returns."</p> + +<p>Carl could not speak; he could only stare into the glowing sphere. +The golden image was moving! Slowly the sinewy muscles of its arms +moved downward; strong golden fingers felt along its thighs; its chest +expanded as it drew in the scented breath of the temple. Carl saw the +arm of the God reach down and bring up a lovely white form. He saw her +swoon with pleasure in the embrace of this golden image that now lived. +He saw the God release the white form of the girl, saw her fair body +writhe with tormented desire, her hands clutching eagerly for him. On +he walked to the throne beside the altar. As he walked, the maidens +bent down before him, their lips caressed his feet, slender fingers +sought to touch him as he moved majestically above that sea of adoring +flesh. Moonere bowed before him. He touched her shoulder, and raised +her up to meet his lips in the lingering kiss. Then he sat down upon +the scarlet throne.</p> + +<p>Food and wine were brought to him by the maidens, each seeking to +outdo the others in her attentions. They fairly groveled at his throne.</p> + +<p>"Now they will bring him the new sacrifice," Pierre said tensely. "I +will let her walk slowly so that Moonere will fail to see that my mind +controls her. But he will never possess her!"</p> + +<p>"Oh, God, I pray not!" cried Carl.</p> + +<hr class="tb"> + +<p>Ruth entered the temple, her eyes staring glassily in front of her. +From her shoulders trailed a flimsy white cloth, her slender form +gleaming through it in the pale blue light. Two of the maidens led her +to the Golden God. In torment, Carl watched him feast his eyes upon +Ruth's beauty. Unable to stand the sight, Carl turned from the globe.</p> + +<p>He looked beseechingly to Pierre. The man's lips moved in formless +speech. Pierre was talking to Ruth, he knew. He looked again to see +if it had worked. Carl gasped as he saw Ruth fall in a crumpled faint +before the throne. Moonere rushed to her. The maidens began laboring +over Ruth's lifeless form. The Golden Image frowned. Carl watched the +look of surprize fade from Moonere's face; slowly, gradually it became +a smiling mask of cruelty. Pierre was now laughing.</p> + +<p>"Ah, they do not enjoy that! Moonere is puzzled. Moonere and the Golden +God of Sudre are disappointed for once!" his voice rasped. He shook his +fist into the globe. "Now what will you do, Moonere? What will you do +to me?"</p> + +<p>As Pierre spoke, Carl saw Moonere dart to the altar and pull quickly +upon some heavy chains that hung in front of the blazing fire. Slowly +a shining disk of platinum appeared. Moonere swung it rapidly until it +caught the light of the hellish fire that burned upon the altar. Its +glistening surface began to glow. Suddenly a blinding flash of light +engulfed the globe before the two figures concentrated in front of it. +Pierre's vast room filled with a strange purple and blue-green light.</p> + +<p>"Quick! Turn on the ray-machine!" Pierre cried, pushing Carl out of his +way as he hurried to the panel. "Your glasses, don't forget them. Don't +forget to turn Z-4. And when I tell you, let me have R-9." Pierre was +shouting now.</p> + +<p>All through the room the strange light shattered into millions of +little stars. The ray from Pierre's machine shot upward through the +sky. Carl saw it cross the ray that was coming from Sudre. The sky in +the vicinity of the rays, that could only be seen through Pierre's +glasses, was filled with a mighty conflict of fire.</p> + +<p>"More phosphorous liquid. Hurry! Hurry!" Pierre was almost screaming +now. Carl pulled the lever, and the liquid poured into a tank beside +the ray-machine. He worked feverishly, following Pierre's orders. +Everything he had previously rehearsed, he now performed rapidly and +automatically. He turned knobs, pulled switches, poured mysterious +liquids into tanks, watched a pageantry of light and small sparkling +stars leap about the room, dancing from corner to corner.</p> + +<p>The room grew hotter. Perspiration dripped from Carl's face as he +struggled to follow the orders issued by Pierre. Although he knew what +to do when Pierre commanded, he did not know what each separate action +meant. It was enough that he could recognize the orders and could do +what must have been the simplest of things in this maze of wizardry and +science Pierre had developed.</p> + +<p>As Carl worked over a boiling vat that contained a thick mixture of +evil-smelling chemicals, he felt a severe burning sensation at the back +of his neck. Turning his head slightly, he saw two yellow flames shoot +toward him from the switch-board panel.</p> + +<p>"Take that other tube and place it in the switch-box. Tube X! Tube X!" +Pierre's tone was frantic.</p> + +<p>Carl whirled around in his excitement, and as he did so, a bottle fell +with an explosive crash. Smoke and fire leaped up from the floor. +Pierre quenched it quickly with an extinguisher. The heat of the room +was beginning to show upon Carl, and he sensed that in a moment he +would pass into unconsciousness.</p> + +<p>The tube placed in the box as Pierre had directed, Carl staggered +blindly back to his duties between the tank and the switch-board panel.</p> + +<p>"Something's wrong! Something's wrong!" he heard Pierre say in a +croaking voice. The fear that gripped him made it impossible for Carl +to ask what was wrong.</p> + +<p>Pierre turned from the ray-machine. Carl saw him, and for the moment +went insane! Pierre's face was gone! There was only a blue light +shining from the open gap that had once been the face of Pierre Soret. +Somewhere in that horrible sight were two white pin-points that +retained a semblance of the man's eyes. Bluish smoke was issuing from +his entire body.</p> + +<p>"We must work fast; perhaps you can finish what I have started," +Pierre's broken voice came from the awful vision that represented him. +"My ray-machine is not powerful enough; I cannot concentrate the rays +on the temple with sufficient intensity to effect my purpose. You must +take my concentration mirror, which is similar to the one you saw +Moonere use. I must release your fiancée from my mind. You must submit +yourself to me. I will send you to the temple, if I last that long. +Your fiancée will be at their mercy until you arrive."</p> + +<p>Sensing the danger, Carl hurried to the globe. Ruth was stretched upon +a couch in front of the throne. The maidens were working desperately +to revive her, while the Golden Image of Sudre glowered down upon her. +Carl realized that once Pierre released his grip upon her mind, Moonere +would send her into the greedy clutches of Sudre. Ruth would be lost to +him.</p> + +<p>"No! I can't permit it. You must save her!" he cried. "But how? Man, +you are gone! You do not live, you can't exist as you are! In heaven's +name, how could you hope to save anyone, how can you even speak? How? +How?"</p> + +<p>"This is the only way. Do not doubt me. The rays are destroying me. +Everything is going fast. You must go, and I will direct you," Pierre +said sternly.</p> + +<p>Already Carl could feel the electric touch of Pierre's intellect +usurping his. Even his voice sounded weak as he cried out: "No! Save +Ruth! Save Ruth! Keep her asleep. Keep her—aslee——"</p> + +<p>The blue fire that was Pierre became larger; nothing but blue, blue +light filled his eyes; and Pierre, the mind of the great but tortured +scientist, filled Carl's brain.</p> + +<p>"You will take your car and speed to the Countess Moonard's. Make all +haste. Nothing can stop you. You <i>must</i> get there!" Carl heard Pierre's +voice as a whisper.</p> + +<p>At first he moved stiffly, as if each step needed the command of the +man who now controlled his brain. Gradually the feeling decreased. Carl +Fielding became Pierre Soret!</p> + +<p>Into Carl's pocket Pierre thrust a round, silver disk.</p> + +<hr class="tb"> + +<p>Through the streets that led to the Countess Moonard's star-haunted +residence, Carl's roadster sped like a silver bullet upon an errand of +mercy. Twice he would have met certain death had it not been for the +super-intellect that made quick thinking snap his movements with the +deft skill of a racing driver.</p> + +<p>"Go faster! There is little time to lose. Go faster! Do not be afraid," +the voice of the professor rasped. The wind whipped past Carl's face.</p> + +<p>Carl froze as he heard the next words of the man who gripped his brain. +"Do not be afraid; nothing can harm you now, for you are not guided by +the normal destiny of a human. Something stronger leads me on, and I +in turn send you upon this errand which may mean death for you. Some +Greater Power of Good now seems to be working against the Evil Thing of +Sudre.</p> + +<p>"I am slowly being burned to some strange form, I know not what, but my +mind is keen and clear. It is the work of destiny, the destiny of good +perhaps. You are at the command of my brain."</p> + +<p>Carl could not stop now, and even the mighty fear that shook him hurled +him forward. On he drove, knowing that every turn he made was being +watched by Pierre in the globe—but there was nothing he could do; he +was driven by a force far stronger than himself.</p> + +<p>"Stop at the servant's entrance," Pierre said, as Carl turned his car +into the driveway that led to the Countess' home.</p> + +<p>Carl brought his car to a quick stop and leapt from it onto the little +walk that led to a narrow doorway in the side of the house.</p> + +<p>"Go through that hallway. Run!" the voice commanded.</p> + +<p>Carl followed the directions, turning and twisting through a series of +doors and porticos, opening secret panels in the walls, and hurrying +through a confusing catacomb of corridors until at last he was within +the temple where no one else had ever gone without being brought before +the Inner Circle of Sudre. Now he was there.</p> + +<p>They were dragging Inspector Chadwick to the altar. Huge black slaves +were preparing to toss him into the flames. The pealing laughter of the +Golden Image rang through the temple. The maidens were dancing; and in +the very center of their circle was Ruth, now wild-eyed with passion, +her face livid with the same desire Carl had seen upon the faces of the +others. She was moving to the Golden Image to give herself to the God +of Sudre.</p> + +<p>"Reach into your left pocket!"</p> + +<p>Carl's frustration ceased as he heard Pierre snap this command. The +dancing ceased. An awed hush fell upon the scene of the orgy. A +demoniacal scream arose from a chorus of horrified throats as Carl +whipped from his pocket the silver disk. Through the glasses he was +wearing, Carl saw a reflected ray of glaring intensity flash out from +the disk.</p> + +<p>He flashed it over the heads of the screaming dancers. Forked tongues +of fire leapt in all directions, and licked out against the naked +bodies that fled beneath its swiftly darting flames.</p> + +<p>The Golden Image roared in anger and plunged forward to strangle +Carl. He flashed the ray across the face of the thing, and to his +astonishment, the Golden Image seemed no longer alive. It stood still +as if it had returned to its former immobile self. Then it began to +melt!</p> + +<p>"Strike Moonere! Strike Moonere!" came Pierre's staccato command.</p> + +<p>Carl lashed the serpentine beam full across the Countess Moonard's +face. She cursed him, and screamed a horrible oath. He lashed her +again. Retreating before the flailing whip of fire from the disk, the +Countess ran and threw herself upon the altar. The flames leapt up, as +she disappeared in a flash of blue smoke.</p> + +<p>"My work is almost over," Carl heard the faint voice of Pierre Soret, +coming like a sigh. "Throw the disk into the flames upon the altar. +Hurry, for the altar of Sudre will soon be cool, and only the ashes of +its evil reign will smolder in remembrance of the Fire of Sudre."</p> + +<hr class="tb"> + +<p>Carl hurled the disk into the now dwindling flames upon the altar. It +twisted and curled with the flames that wrapped about it. Finally the +flames sank and vanished, as a silvery snake-like wisp of smoke coiled +upward, and then sank gradually into obscurity.</p> + +<p>"Now my work is finished," Carl heard Pierre's voice, this time coming +to him in the tones of whispered weariness. "Young man, do you know, +strange as all my life has been, strange as all the stories of my +family's struggle against the evil God of Sudre, I have never been +really frightened until now—now I find myself upon the brink of +another world.</p> + +<p>"The house was burned. The flames consumed me; even as you raced to +the temple, the flames were destroying me, yet I did not die. I was so +afraid that I would die, and leave you in the temple with the evil I +knew was there; but I lived, even after I knew that everything in my +house was destroyed by fire. My inventions, my years of work—all were +destroyed.</p> + +<p>"There is nothing but dreary coldness here; and in the darkness, +gray-lined specters hover all about me. Surely this is the realm +between the known and the unknown. It is strange to me, like a vast +sea of doubt surrounding my soul—yet in the distance I see a light, a +light of infinite brightness.</p> + +<p>"My fear? Perhaps Sudre's evil ray has tainted my soul; and yet it +cannot be, for now, even here, I feel that same moving faith, the +magnetic power of good, drawing me on to some better destination. It +must be so. Even though I no longer live on earth, and I wander in a +land of dreadful strangeness, surely I have conquered evil.</p> + +<p>"You are listening, my friend? You hear me speak to you from beyond the +border of this life. Shall I always do this? Will you be frightened, +young man, when you hear my voice?</p> + +<p>"I am watching over you, guarding you from harm. Go to your sweetheart. +Lead her quickly from this temple of doom, for it is soon to fall. +Lead the ones who are returned to the reality of this earth out of the +temple of another world. Lead them into life as we knew it; at least as +<i>you</i> knew it. Hurry! There is little time. I will guide you safely out +as I guided you into this secret domain."</p> + +<p>Carl heard the rumble of falling stones, and saw huge cracks appear in +the scrolled walls. Picking Ruth up gently in his arms, he carried her +through the portal that would lead them to the outside. He beckoned to +the bewildered souls who had witnessed the end of their unholy service +to another god. They followed like innocent sheep. Only a few of the +black slaves and servants of Moonere remained, silent, stone-like +images that seemed no longer alive.</p> + +<p>Like the thundering roll of a kettle-drum in some great symphony, Carl +heard the sound of the temple falling behind him. Every step of the +way that led through the intricate passages out of the Temple of Sudre +seemed to crumble as his followers fled close upon his foot-steps.</p> + +<p>Soon they found themselves in the reception room of the Countess +Moonard; a strange company of unclad women, looking for some answer to +their question of where they had spent their lives. Slowly, gradually, +they seemed to sense that a terrible past lay behind them: something +that was to fade, even as the unnatural beauty of youth faded to +conform with their respective ages. Young faces on aged women were +growing old as they should have done long ago. With reality came their +sense of propriety, and they eagerly sought clothing with which to +cover themselves.</p> + +<p>Pierre spoke again, commanding Carl to hurry them from the house. +Outside, in the clear light of the stars, they turned to see the home +of the Countess Moonard sink into the earth. The quick crackle of fire +popped in their ears, and the sky became illuminated with a great +conflagration.</p> + +<p>Inspector Chadwick said little; Carl also remained silent. Tonight was +not the time to talk. Secretly Carl hoped that Chadwick would forget, +that everyone would forget the Countess Donella Moonard.</p> + +<hr class="tb"> + +<p>London Newspapers in their morning editions carried the story of two +fires: the destruction of a three-story house, occupied by an eccentric +Professor Pierre Soret, who had presumably compounded some dreadful +chemical which had destroyed him and his house; the other, an account +of a disaster, either an explosion or fire of unknown origin, that +completely demolished the home of the Countess Donella Moonard, killing +her and her staff of servants.</p> + +<p>Beyond this there was no thought of any connection between the two +houses so far apart from each other. Carl smiled somewhat as he read:</p> + +<p>"Although the Countess Moonard has been known to certain London +socialites, her ancestry was never certified; nor was the claim of +Countess hers by any English right. It is generally believed that the +Countess originally came from France. She was a woman of mystery and +rare beauty; her age was unknown. She was a follower of some strange +religious belief, probably of Egyptian origin."</p> + +<hr class="tb"> + +<p>There are women with snow-white hair and failing eyes, hobbling about +their homes; women who were once glamorous beauties, noted for their +coldness to all men, women whose beauty could have made them beloved. +Old and lonely now, they shun the world, living within their homes, +wondering when and what will be the end of their existence.</p> + +<p>Doctor Carl Fielding has not heard the voice of Pierre Soret for +nearly a year now. Sometimes he thinks he hears the echo of that spirit +who so strangely left this life. For a while there were moments when +Carl felt an awful sense of fear, because the thoughts that were in +his brain that night were the thoughts of the man who lived within the +fire, but his wife's devotion has dispelled this gloomy fear and led +him on to hope. +</p> +<div style='text-align:center'>*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 76623 ***</div> +</body> +</html> + diff --git a/76623-h/images/cover.jpg b/76623-h/images/cover.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..da05b2f --- /dev/null +++ b/76623-h/images/cover.jpg diff --git a/76623-h/images/illus.jpg b/76623-h/images/illus.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..ea0a8b6 --- /dev/null +++ b/76623-h/images/illus.jpg diff --git a/76623-h/images/illusc.jpg b/76623-h/images/illusc.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..aa21c76 --- /dev/null +++ b/76623-h/images/illusc.jpg diff --git a/LICENSE.txt b/LICENSE.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6312041 --- /dev/null +++ b/LICENSE.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11 @@ +This eBook, including all associated images, markup, improvements, +metadata, and any other content or labor, has been confirmed to be +in the PUBLIC DOMAIN IN THE UNITED STATES. + +Procedures for determining public domain status are described in +the "Copyright How-To" at https://www.gutenberg.org. + +No investigation has been made concerning possible copyrights in +jurisdictions other than the United States. 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