comprehension, what then? All I care about is money--and I'll leave no
stone unturned to get it. If it were possible for man to get in touch
with Daramara--the Unknown--Devil, or whatever else it chooses to call
itself--I'll call it an angel if it only gives me money--twenty
thousand years ago--why shouldn't it be possible to get in touch with
it now? Anyhow as I said before, I'll have a try. As far as the
preliminary stage is concerned, I fancy I'm pretty well fixed. My mind
is occupied right enough with things of this world--I don't give a
cent for anything belonging to another--and if only I had half a dozen
souls, I'd sell them right away now, for less than twenty thousand
dollars--a damned sight less. As for these tests--foolish isn't the
word for them--but it won't cost much just to try them.... Now,
according to Thomas Maitland, the ceremony of calling up the Unknown
stands a far greater chance of success if there are three human beings
present ... but, of course, if there is any truth in this business,
I'd rather keep the secret of it to myself. However, if I try alone,
the Unknown may not come to me, and then I shall have had all the
trouble of going through the tests for nothing!... Ah! now I see! If
the other two get more of the profits than I think necessary--I can
make use of my newly acquired Occult Power to--to dissolve
partnership! Ha! ha! I could--I could trick the Unknown if it comes to
that. Trust a Jew to outwit the Devil! I'll just look up Kelson
and--Curtis."


FOOTNOTES:

[Footnote 1: The river referred to by Maitland is the river
Lagartos, which was then (1691) unnamed.]