The Angel of the West Window by Gustav Meyrink

Author:Gustav Meyrink
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781907650611
Publisher: Dedalus Limited
Published: 2012-07-17T16:00:00+00:00

“This ancient and noble stone, full of magical power, once belonged to the honoured master of all occult wisdom, the unfortunate John Dee, Lord of the Manor of Gladhill. In the year he was called to his Maker, 1607.”

There – as if I needed it – was documentary evidence that John Dee’s most valued possession, which he held higher than gold and all the riches of this world, had found its ordained way to me, his appointed heir and executor of his destiny. This discovery removed any last lingering doubts as to Lipotin’s inner identity. I put my hand on his shoulder and said:

“Well, old messenger of the mysteries, won’t you tell me what you have brought this time? What is the point of the red sphere? Are we going to transmute lead? Are we going to make gold?”

Lipotin turned his foxy face towards me and, in a calm, deliberative tone, gave his evasive answer:

“So you have already attempted to use the coal? And you couldn’t see anything?”

He refused to listen to me. As so often, he obstinately went his own way. No matter; I am accustomed to it. You have to go along with it, otherwise you cannot get anything out of him. I replied coolly:

“No. I can’t see anything in it, however I go about it.”

“I’m not surprised.” – Lipotin shrugged his shoulders.

“And how would you go about trying to see something in the crystal?”

“Me? I’ve no ambition to be a medium.”

“A medium? Otherwise it’s impossible, you think?”

“The simplest way would be to become a medium,” Lipotin answered.

“And how does one become a medium?”

“Just ask Schrenck Notzing.” A malicious smile played about his lips.

I ignored his mockery. “To tell you the truth, I, too, lack both the desire and the time to become a medium. But did you not just say that to be a medium is merely the simplest way. What would be less simple?”

“To give up the whole idea of crystal-gazing.”

I had to change tack. “Your paradoxical mind has got it right again; I am unwilling to give up the whole idea. Certain circumstances lead me to believe that there are images fixed – that is the expression occultists would use, I presume – upon the faces of this coal, images of the past, let us say, which are not without their importance for me ...”

“Then you will have to take a risk!”

“What kind of risk?”

“Of being being deceived by – let’s call it your own imagination. Using hallucination for the purposes of clairvoyance often becomes a kind of spiritual drug addiction. Unless ...”

“Unless ...?”

“You pass over.”

“What do you mean.”

“You leave your body behind.”

“How?”

“With this!” Lipotin had the red sphere in his hand again, rolling it between his fingers.

“Give it to me! I have asked you for it once.”

“Oh no, my dear sir, I cannot hand the sphere over to you. I have just remembered why it is impossible.”

I was becoming annoyed: “What’s all this nonsense again?”

Lipotin put on his serious face. “You must forgive me. There is one small detail I had forgotten.

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