Dennis Wheatley - The Devil Rides Out

De Richleau had closed his eyes and bowed his head upon his chest. Once more he was practising that rhythmic, inaudible Raja Yoga breathing, which has such power to recruit strength or to send it forth, and he was using it now while he concentrated on calling the spirit of Tanith to him.

Richard watched the. body with curious expectancy. His experience of the last few hours had been too recent for him to collate his thoughts, and while he had so sturdily rejected the idea of Black Magic the night before he would more or less have accepted the fact of Spiritualism. It was a much more general modern belief, and this business as far as he could see, except in a few minor particulars such as the incense compounded with blood, was very similar to the spiritualistic seances of which he had often heard. The only real difference being that, in this instance, they had a newly dead body to operate on and therefore were far more likely to get results. As time wore on, however, he became doubtful, for if their earlier vigil had lasted many hours this one, now that he was utterly weary, seemed like a succession of nights.

It was Simon who first became aware that something was happening. He was watching the seven cones of incense intently, and it seemed to him that the one which was farthest from him, set at Tanith’s head, gave out a greater amount of smoke than the rest. Then he realised that he could see the cone more clearly and that the eddying curls of aromatic vapour which it sent up had taken on a bluish hue which the rest had not.

He pressed De Richleau’s hand and the Duke raised his head. Richard too had seen it, and as they watched, a faint blue light became definitely perceptible.

It gradually solidified into a ball about two inches in diameter and moved slowly forward from the head until it reached the centre of Tanith’s body. There it remained for a while, growing in brightness and intensity until it had become a strong blue light. Then it rose a little and hovered in the air above her, so that by its glow they could clearly see the curves of her figure and her pale, beautiful face, lit by that strange radiance.

Intensely alert now, they sat still and watchful, until the ball of light began to lose colour and diffuse itself over a wider area.

The smoke of the incense wreathed up towards it from the seven metal platters, and it seemed to gather this into itself, forming from it the vague outline of a head and shoulders, still cloudy and transparent but, after another few moments, definitely recognisable as an outline of the bust of the figure which lay motionless beneath it.

With pounding hearts they watched for new developments, and now it seemed that the whole process of materialisation was hurried forward in a few seconds. The bust joined itself, by throwing out a shadowy torso, to the hips of the dead body, the face and shoulders solidified until the features were distinct, and the whole became surrounded by an aureole of light.

Upon the strained silence there came the faintest whisper of a voice:

‘You called me. I am here.’

‘Are you in truth, Tanith?’ De Richleau asked softly.

‘I am.’

‘Do you acknowledge our Lord Jesus Christ?’

‘I do.’

A sigh of relief escaped De Richleau, for he knew that no impersonating elemental would ever dare to testify in such a manner, and he proceeded quietly:

‘Do you come here of your own free will, or do you wish to depart?’

‘I come because you called, but I am glad to come.’

‘There is one here whose grief for your passing is very great. He does not seek to draw you back, but he wishes to know if it is your desire to help him in the protection of his friends and the destruction of evil for the well-being of the world.’

‘It is my desire.’

‘Will you tell us all that you can of the man Mocata which may prove of help?’

‘I cannot, for I am circumscribed by the Law, but you may ask me what you will and, because you have summoned me, I am bound by your command to answer.’

‘What is he doing now?’

‘Plotting fresh evil against you.’

‘Where is he now?’

‘He is quite near you.’

‘Can you tell me where?’

‘I do not know. I cannot see distinctly, for he covers himself with a cloak of darkness, but he is still in your neighbourhood.’

‘In the village?’

‘Perhaps.’

‘Where will he be this time tomorrow?’

‘In Paris.’

‘What do you see him doing in Paris?’

‘I see him talking with a man who has lost a portion of his left ear. It is in a tall building. They are both very angry.’

‘Will he stay in Paris for long?’

‘No. I see him moving at great speed towards the rising sun.’

‘Where do you see him next?’

‘Under the earth.’

‘Do you mean that he is dead—to us?’

‘No. He is in a stone-flagged vault beneath a building which is very very old. The place radiates evil. The red vibrations are so powerful that I cannot see what he does there. The light which surrounds me now protects me from such sights.’

‘What is he planning now?’

‘To draw me back.’

‘Do you mean that he is endeavouring to restore your soul to your body?’

‘Yes. He is already bitterly regretting that in his anger against you he risked the severance of the two. He could force me to be of great service to him on your plane but he cannot do so on this.’

‘But is it possible for him to bring you back — permanently?’

‘Yes. If he acts at once. While the moon is still in her dark quarter.’

‘Is it your wish to return?’

‘No, not unless I were free of him — but I have no choice. My soul is in pawn until the coming of the new moon. After that I shall pass on unless he has succeeded.’

‘How will he set about this thing?’

‘There is only one way. The full performance of the Black Mass.’

‘You mean with the sacrifice of a Christian child?’

‘Yes. It is the age-old law, a soul for a soul. That is the only way and the soul of a baptised child will be accepted in exchange for mine. Then if my body remains uninjured I shall be compelled to return to it.’

‘What are–—’

The Duke’s next question was cut short by Rex, who could stand the strain no longer. He did not know that De Richleau was only conversing with Tanith’s astral body and thought that he had succeeded in restoring the corpse which lay behind him, at least to temporary life again.

‘Tanith!’ he cried, breaking the circle and flinging himself round. ‘Tanith!’

In a fraction of time the vision disintegrated and disappeared. His eyes blazing with anger, De Richleau sprang to his feet.

‘You fool!’ he thundered. ‘You stupid fool.’ In the pale light of dawn which was now at last just filtering through the fog, he glared at Rex. Then, as they stood there, angry recriminations about to burst from their lips, the whole party were arrested in their every movement and remained transfixed.

A shrill, clear cry had cut like a knife into the heavy, incense-laden atmosphere, coming from the room above.

‘That’s Fleur,’ gasped Marie Lou. ‘My precious, what is it?’

In an instant, she was dashing across the room to the little door in the bookshelves which led to the staircase up to the nursery. Yet Richard was before her.

In two bounds he had reached the door and was fumbling for the catch. His trembling fingers found it. He gave a violent jerk. The little metal ring which served to open it came away in his hand.

Precious moments were lost as they clawed at the bookbacks. At last it swung free. Richard pushed Marie Lou through ahead of him and followed, pressing at her heels. The others stumbled up the old stone stairs in frantic haste behind them.