"To quaff the inner life, is to see the outer life: to live in defiance
of time, is to live in the whole. He who discovers the elixir discovers
what lies in space; for the spirit that vivifies the frame strengthens
the senses. There is attraction in the elementary principle of light.
In the lamps of Rosicrucius the fire is the pure elementary principle.
Kindle the lamps while thou openst the vessel that contains the elixir,
and the light attracts towards thee those beings whose life is that
light. Beware of Fear. Fear is the deadliest enemy to Knowledge." Here
the ciphers changed their character, and became incomprehensible. But
had he not read enough? Did not the last sentence suffice?--"Beware of
Fear!" It was as if Mejnour had purposely left the page open,--as if the
trial was, in truth, the reverse of the one pretended; as if the mystic
had designed to make experiment of his COURAGE while affecting but that
of his FORBEARANCE. Not Boldness, but Fear, was the deadliest enemy
to Knowledge. He moved to the shelves on which the crystal vases were
placed; with an untrembling hand he took from one of them the stopper,
and a delicious odor suddenly diffused itself through the room. The air
sparkled as if with a diamond-dust. A sense of unearthly delight,--of an
existence that seemed all spirit, flashed through his whole frame; and
a faint, low, but exquisite music crept, thrilling, through the chamber.
At this moment he heard a voice in the corridor calling on his name;
and presently there was a knock at the door without. "Are you there,
signor?" said the clear tones of Maestro Paolo. Glyndon hastily reclosed
and replaced the vial, and bidding Paolo await him in his own apartment,
tarried till he heard the intruder's steps depart; he then reluctantly
quitted the room. As he locked the door, he still heard the dying
strain of that fairy music; and with a light step and a joyous heart he
repaired to Paolo, inly resolving to visit again the chamber at an hour
when his experiment would be safe from interruption.