Evening star., 1928-05-24

fTheophie Gautier. 1S11-1S7". was a "a.
NOUS French writer OF stories pfooaplS nest
known for his novel Madenioisesie de MAUI
min - }
The present episode describes the
most difficult of magical fcats--the
double transformation, or avatar' OF
souls between two bodies. DR.. Cner-
bonneau had learned the secret IN
India, where his extensive travels and
studies had put him In contact With
many ancient and forgotten secrets.
He had learned magic syliaple Wnicn
would make persons soul leave ms
body and take up habitation In anotner
dwelling.
The two men he now had with him
for this experiment were TO nave tnelr
souls thus tranSpoSed. One OF the men
wished it done. for reasons Of his own
the other. Count Labinski, handsome
Polish gentleman, was to be the victim.
He would go to sleep and awake to
find his soul in the body OF Octave
Saville.
Il am ready" Octave said quietly.
He it was who wanted the transfor-
nation made.
Good said the doctor rubbing his
dry brown hands together Now let
us get to work. We are going to make
a strange broth In our caldron, like
Macbeth's witches. but without the
ignoble sorcery of Northern lands. Seat
yourself before me, there, In that arm
chair; yield yourself up with the most
perfect confidence in my power. Good
Fix your eyes on my eyes. rest your
hands against my hands. Already the
charm begins to work. Your concep-
tions of time and space are fading
away: your consciousness of me Is being
lost.
"Ah the eyelids are closing; the mus
cles, receiving no longer the commands
of the brain, lie unstrung and slack;
the mind slumbers; all the fine threads
which tie the soul to the body are un-
loosed Brahma, In his golden egg,
where for 10000 years he lay asleep.
was not more completely severed from
his externals. Let us saturate him with
influences, and bathe him In emana-
tionS"
The doctor, while he was spasmodi-
cally muttering these sentences, did not
for moment discontinue his passes.
From his outStretched hands shot lumi-
nous CLEANS, which settled on the brow
and heart of the patient, around whom
there was gradually formed a. kind Of
visible atmosphere.
Good. very good!" said DR.. Cher
bonneau, congratulating himself upon
the success of his endeavors. He is
just in the condition I desired. I have
Count Labinski already asleep, so all
is well. Stay. what is 1t In this Octave
de "tSaville that seems TO be setting
itself in opposition to my infiuence?"
he cried, after a moments pause, as he
appeared to see through the young
mans skull the signs of some last effort
of his almost annihilated personality
What Is that rebellious idea. which,
driven out from the conyolutions of
the brain, attempts still to withdraw
itself from my power Dy hiding itself
in the primitive monad in the central
point of life? I shall know how to lay
hold of 1t and crush It,"
To overcome this involuntary oppo-
sition, the doctor threw a still more
powerful charge of magnetism into
his glance, and arrested the rnutinous
idea between the base OF the cerebellum
and the junction of the spinal cord. the
most secret sanctuary. the most sacred
tabernacle of the soul. His triumph
was now complete.
Then he made ready, with ma
iestic solemnity. for the unparalleled
experiment he was about TO attempt
He clad himself, like some ancient ma
gician. In white linen robe. washed
his hands in perfumed water. took some
powders out OF various boxes, and with
these marked strange heiroglyphical
characters on his cheeks and brow
Then he clasped around his arm a cor
don OF the Brahmins. read two or three
slocas Of the sacred poems. and care
fully observed every detail Of the ritual
which had been prescribed in the san
nyasi In the caves OF Elephanta.
These ceremonies completed. he
opened to their fullest extent the aper-
lures of the stoves, and the room was
quickly filled with so close and heated
an atmosphere as would have made the
very tigers pant with exhaustion in
their native jungles. have cracked the
cuirass Of mud around the rugged hide
of the buffaloes. and burst open. with
quick detonation. the great blossom
of the aloe.
'"f must take care that these two
sparks of the divine fire. which. stripped
OF their mortal envelope, will so soor
be houseless and naked for few sec
onds, don't pale and die out In oui
glacial atmosphere" said the doctor