"But in the long run," Des Hermies went on, "in spite of the most
adroit precautions, everything comes out. Up to now I have spoken only
of local Satanistic associations, but there are others, more extensive,
which ravage the old world and the new, for Diabolism is quite up to
date in one respect. It is highly centralized and very capably
administered. There are committees, subcommittees, a sort of curia,
which rules America and Europe, like the curia of a pope.

"The biggest of these societies founded as long ago as 1855 is the
society of the Re-Theurgistes-Optimates. Beneath an apparent unity it is
divided into two camps, one aspiring to destroy the universe and reign
over the ruins, the other thinking simply of imposing upon the world a
demoniac cult of which it shall be high priest.

"This society has its seat in America. It was formerly directed by one
Longfellow, an adventurer, born in Scotland, who entitled himself grand
priest of the New Evocative Magism. For a long time it has had branches
in France, Italy, Germany, Russia, Austria, even Turkey.

"It is at the present moment moribund, or perhaps quite dead, but
another has just been created. The object of this one is to elect an
antipope who will be the exterminating Antichrist. And those are only
two of them. How many others are there, more or less important
numerically, more or less secret, which, by common accord, at ten
o'clock the morning of the Feast of the Holy Sacrament, celebrate black
masses at Paris, Rome, Bruges, Constantinople, Nantes, Lyons, and in
Scotland--where sorcerers swarm!

"Then, outside of these universal associations and local assemblies,
isolated cases abound, on which little light can be shed, and that with