An Occult Novel Based on the Life of Franz
Bardon By Franz Bardon(?)
Title of the German original edition: Frabato First
German Edition 1979 by Dieter Rüggeberg Verlag D-42035 Wuppertal,
Germany First English Edition 1982 by Dieter Rüggeberg Verlag
Contents
About the
Author
Franz Bardon was born on December 1, 1909, in Katherein,
near Opava in the present-day Czech Republic. He died on July 10, 1958, in
Brno, also in the Czech Republic. He attended public school in Opava, and
after that apprenticed as a mechanic. His stage name was "Frabato," which
is an abbreviation of Franz-Bardon-Troppau-Opava.
The special
nature of this work required serious consideration before I published it
under the name of Franz Bardon; the importance of the subject matter
finally decided the issue. To pay tribute to truth, I should not like to
conceal from the reader the fact that, in actuality, Franz Bardon supplied
only the framework of facts for this book. Being pressed for time, he left
its entire completion and embellishment to his secretary, Otti Votavova.
Unfortunately, Bardon's posthumous manuscript was not ready for print, and
therefore I had to revise it.
I would like to pass on some of the
information which, according to Otti Votavova, she received directly from
Franz Bardon. According to her, Adolf Hitler was a member of a 99 Lodge.
Besides this, Hitler and some of his confidants were members of the Thule
Order, which was simply the external instrument of a group of powerful
Tibetan black magicians which used the members of the Thule Order for
their own purposes. Hitler also employed a number of doubles on various
occasions as camouflage.
Franz Bardon was brought to the Nazis'
attention through the negligence of his student and friend, Wilhelm
Quintscher (Rah Omir Quintscher). Quintscher had not destroyed his
correspondence with Bardon, although he had been asked by Bardon to do so;
that is how the National Socialists became aware of him.
While
they were being flogged, Quintscher lost his self-control. He uttered a
Kabbalistic formula, whereupon the torturers were immediately paralyzed
completely. When he later neutralized the effect of the formula, he was
shot in revenge.
Franz Bardon was offered high positions in the
Third Reich by Adolf Hitler, but only in exchange for his help in winning
the war with his magical abilities. Furthermore, Franz Bardon was expected
to reveal to Hitler the location of the other ninety-eight lodges
throughout the world. When he refused to help, he was exposed to the
cruelest torture. Among other things, they performed operations on him
without anesthetizing him. They forged iron rings around his ankles and
fixed heavy iron balls to them.
Franz Bardon shared the fate of
his fellow prisoners in Nazi concentration camps for three and a half
years. In 1945, shortly before the war ended, he was sentenced to death.
However, before the sentence could be carried out the prison in which he
was being held was bombed. He was rescued from the heavily damaged
building by some Russian fellow prisoners and succeeded in hiding from the
police in his native country until the end of the war. He then worked his
way back to his home town.
After the war, Franz Bardon used his
magical abilities to determine that Adolf Hitler had escaped abroad, and
that he had undergone a number of surgical operations on his face so as
not to be recognized.
The photographs of Hermes Trismegistos,
Lao-tse, Mahum Tah-Ta and Shambalah presented in this volume were
originally published in the book Das Buck vom Buddha das Westens, by Hans
Albert Muller (Verlag des Ordens der Weltvollendung, 1930). This fact
became known to me only recently; the photos were first painted by a
mediumistic artist from the magic mirror of Franz Bardon.
This is
the end of Otti Votavova's recital of facts. In the many years of my
acquaintance with her I was able to convince myself of her love of truth.
In his book The Practice of Magical Evocation, Franz Bardon has written in
some detail concerning the fact that certain disadvantages must always be
taken into account when any kind of pact is made. Anyone who has
thoroughly studied the occult sciences will not find it difficult to judge
lodges, orders, sects and groups. One should always be on one's utmost
guard wherever money or oaths are demanded in exchange for spiritual
instruction, and wherever the secrets are kept by the higher degrees and
concealed from the lower ones.
Evidence regarding the events
related in this book will be reserved for people trained and developed in
magic. Humankind will have to resign itself to the fact that a great deal
of evidence concerning the workings of our cosmos can only be furnished
through spiritual means.
Wuppertal, June 1979 Dieter Rüggeberg
Chapter
I
The overcrowded lecture room of the clubhouse was full of
excitement, for the suspense aroused in the first part of the program had
caused a heated discussion among the members of the audience.
"Who
is this Frabato?"
"Here are the facts at last!"
"It is all
just tricks and illusion!"
Could anyone trust his own senses? A
mixture of delight and enthusiasm filled everyone's mind.
The
sound of a bell signaled the end of the intermission. The rows quickly
filled again; all conversation subsided and, as the lights dimmed in the
lecture hall, the curtain slowly rose.
The setting of the stage
gave no impression whatsoever that a magician was about to begin his
performance, for the usual paraphernalia of a magic show was nowhere to be
seen. A large crystal chandelier illuminated the stage, in the center of
which stood a round table covered with a dark-blue brocade tablecloth. Ten
chairs had been placed behind the table in a semi-circle, while to the
right of the table the audience could see a single armchair.
Frabato entered with an easy stride; he greeted the audience with
a casual bow. Although his tuxedo added a serious tone, his friendly smile
placed at ease those who would typically be quite terrified by the notion
of magical experiments. As the applause subsided, Frabato addressed the
audience:
"Ladies and gentlemen - having explained to you the
fundamentals of suggestion and autosuggestion during the first part of the
program, and having demonstrated those principles, I would now like to
move on to a different theme. Animal magnetism is of great importance to
the very existence of humankind, and therefore I should not like to
neglect the opportunity to introduce this power to you.
"Everything in this world is controlled by electric and magnetic
forces. However, the ability of particular substances to accumulate and
conduct such electrical and magnetic forces varies a great deal. This
knowledge is of great importance when fashioning amulets - but we shall
not go into detail about such matters at the moment. Instead, I will now
explain the essence of magnetism and prove its existence with practical
demonstrations.
"Animal magnetism is the most perfect element of
life. It is the vital energy and the vital matter that forms the basis of
all life on earth. This vital magnetism connects the earth with the zone
which girdles the earth; this zone is often called the astral world or
simply 'the beyond.' Vital magnetism also connects people to one another.
A human being radiates an energy that is purely animal, and the power and
purity of that energy are dependent upon the person's will, his
characteristics and his mental maturity. His health depends upon these
three qualities in turn.
"This magnetism is especially strong in
people who consciously train their spirits and souls, who possess
self-control and who understand how to master their fates. Through this
vital energy they are able to strengthen their thoughts and the impulses
of their will, and consequently to perform extraordinary deeds.
"Since animal magnetism is an objective force, it may be used for
both positive and negative purposes. The saying 'As you sow, so shall you
reap' is an expression of karmic law and justice; therefore, the true
magician pursues only positive goals. A trained magician can be very
successful in healing people with vital magnetism, and therefore I have
always had a great personal interest in this phenomenon. "Through a number
of demonstrations, I intend to show you other secret qualities and forces
connected with animal magnetism. For this purpose, I ask that three people
from the audience join me on stage."
As Frabato waited, a murmur
could be heard throughout the hall. Then, to encourage the audience, he
said with a smile, "You need not be afraid. No one will be harmed. Just
join me on the stage."
An attractive blonde stood up and, with
hesitation, approached the stage. "Just look," Frabato said jokingly.
"People always say that women are the weaker sex, but this lady has proved
the contrary to all those gentlemen present in this hall." The audience
laughed and instantly a young man hurried on stage, followed by an elderly
woman.
"I am very grateful to you for your help," Frabato said to
the volunteers. "Now, if you would be so kind, please place one of your
personal belongings at my disposal for a short time on the table."
The blonde woman was the first; she put her silver wrist watch on
the table. The young gentleman, a somewhat easygoing character, set his
wallet beside the wrist watch. After an encouraging smile from Frabato,
the elderly woman removed her necklace and added it to the two objects
already on the table.
"By way of introduction," Frabato said,
again addressing the audience, "I will now give you a brief demonstration
of psychometry. This will prove to you that every human being leaves
traces of his essence on those objects which have come into contact with
his body. The age of the object is of no consequence. Even if an object
were several thousand years old, everything imprinted upon it would be
clearly revealed to my clairvoyant eyes. With the help of these three
objects, I shall now prove to you the validity of this statement." Frabato
approached the table, took the silver wrist watch, and walked slowly to
and fro a few times, deeply absorbed in thought. Suddenly he stopped, put
the wrist watch to his forehead, and for a few moments remained completely
still, a distant expression in his eyes. Then, as if awakening from a
dream, he turned towards the blonde.
"You seem to seriously doubt
my abilities, otherwise you would certainly not have come on stage with a
watch that you borrowed from your sister. I am able to see that you wear
it quite often without her knowledge since she works in Berlin. This watch
was a confirmation gift from an aunt who died in an accident, and that is
why your sister herself does not wear it anymore. It would certainly cause
some ill feelings if she knew that you wear the watch."
One could
plainly see the embarrassment and shame reflected on the woman's face,
making it clear that Frabato was indeed correct.
Suddenly the
young man tried to take his wallet from the table. Frabato was quicker
than he and picked up the wallet, weighing it carefully.
"You do
not seem to have a clear conscience, sir. Therefore, I will ascertain the
cause." After studying the wallet closely for some seconds, he continued:
"You are still young - but you go a bit too far in deceiving two
girls. The one whose photograph you carry in your wallet only began to
favor you with her affections after you built imaginary castles in the air
for her - she considers them real. Besides this, I see a love letter to
another girl whom you met recently at some event, and who aroused your
attention with her flirtatious behavior. Your private affairs are not my
concern, but I can assure you that you will not be happy with either of
the two ladies."
The young man became quite embarrassed, realizing
he had been exposed. With an obvious sense of insecurity, he said, "I
should not like to live near you. I should not feel safe with my most
intimate thoughts." Frabato put the wallet back on the table. Next, he
picked up the necklace and let it glide through his fingers as if he were
examining it.
"I could write a whole novel about this piece of
jewelry," he said to its owner, "for it carries the imprint of both good
and bad times. Its first owners were wealthy French aristocrats who went
to the guillotine during the revolution. This necklace has brought each of
its owners a certain measure of misfortune - after your husband was killed
in the Great War, you had to live on a small military pension for a very
long time. I see the necklace at the pawnbroker's twice, but you always
managed to get it back."
Frabato was silent now, for the woman
began to weep. The audience sat motionless after this heavy account of
fate. Frabato put the necklace back on the table and again addressed the
audience:
"Ladies and gentlemen, as I have just proven to you,
every object carries its own history with it. Moreover, you have had an
opportunity to convince yourselves of the various applications of
clairvoyance."
Enthusiastic applause from the audience relieved
the heightened tension. When all was quiet again, Frabato continued, "I
should now like to ask the three volunteers to leave the hall, accompanied
by two neutral observers."
A gentleman wearing glasses and a woman
in a dark dress agreed to accompany the volunteers.
"To
demonstrate to you the effects of magnetism in connection with will power,
I shall now charge these objects with very particular effects which will
occur immediately once someone touches them. I should like to hear from
you what sort of effects you would like them to be. Please tell me which
responses these three objects on the table ought to evoke upon the first
person who touches them."
A gentleman in the middle of the hall
suggested that the silver watch should cause loud laughter. Frabato
agreed. The second suggestion, too, was agreed upon by all: that the
wallet should cause weeping and tears.
It remained to make a
suggestion regarding the necklace. A woman in the first row spoke up:
"Since this necklace has brought misfortune to a number of people
already, I suggest that it be prepared in a manner whereby the first
person who touches it will be forced to throw it away in antipathy."
Prolonged applause made further discussion unnecessary.
Frabato arranged the three objects on the table, leaving a well
defined space between each. He stood completely motionless before each
item and, with intense concentration, made a few gestures with his right
hand over them. Then he addressed the audience again.
"Ladies and
gentlemen, my work is done. In order that no one may claim that I work
with hypnosis, I shall now go to the refreshment room. Two independent
observers from the audience will accompany me there, and then bring back
the volunteers, asking them to take their possessions. I will return to
the stage in exactly ten minutes."
Frabato left the hall
accompanied by two gentlemen, who returned with the volunteers and their
escorts shortly thereafter. Somewhat doubtful, the blonde woman, the young
man and the elderly woman approached the table. The audience grew tense
with anticipation.
Arriving on the stage, the volunteers were
informed by the gentlemen accompanying them that they could now reclaim
their possessions and return to their seats. The blonde was in a hurry.
With a quick motion she grasped her wrist watch and, in the next moment,
broke into an infectious laugh which quickly spread throughout the entire
audience.
As she walked back to her seat, the other two volunteers
stood there hesitantly, somewhat astonished. Then the young man reached
for his wallet. He had not finished putting it back into his pocket before
tears began to roll down his cheeks and, shaken by a sob, he hid his face
in his hands. He recovered after a few moments and left the stage
accompanied by applause. Because of the strange things her fellow
volunteers had just experienced, the elderly lady stood before her
necklace completely at a loss. At last she reached out bravely for it, but
then flung it immediately into a corner of the stage. As, still astonished
by her own reaction, she accepted the return of the necklace from a
helpful gentleman, cheers rang out from the audience.
As there was
no one left on stage, the door to the hall opened and Frabato reappeared,
welcomed enthusiastically by the audience. With a spring in his step he
made his way to the stage, and said with a smile, "What a great atmosphere
here! You seem to have enjoyed the performance. Now I would like to ask
ten people who are afflicted with some kind of illness to come onto the
stage."
Quite a number of spectators hurried to the stage. The ten
chairs behind the table were quickly taken, and there were many who were
forced to return to their seats.
Frabato went from one to the
next, pausing before each person for a few seconds, and then, using the
appropriate medical terminology, described each individual's illness. The
afflicted showed surprise at his quick and correct diagnoses. He then
addressed them:
"My dear visitors, I can see from your expressions
that you have a great deal of confidence in me and that you expect a
complete recovery, or at least relief, from your illness. With the help of
my trained will power, I shall try to help everyone as much as possible.
Although a complete cure may not be possible immediately for severe cases,
I can at least promise everyone a noticeable relief. Please remain seated
calmly and in a relaxed and comfortable position."
He requested
silence from the audience, too, and sat down on a chair so that everyone
could see him clearly. Frabato closed his eyes, and in a few seconds
seemed to have gone completely rigid. After a minute had passed, he opened
his eyes again, jumped up from his chair, and asked his patients how they
felt.
"Excellent! Wonderful! What a relief!" were the responses.
The patients' faces had brightened under the influence of increased
vitality, and each of them expressed his personal thanks before leaving
the stage.
"This is the end of today's show," Frabato announced.
"However, I should not neglect to invite everyone to my next performance,
which will take place the day after tomorrow. Good night to you all."
He went to his dressing room while the applause continued. Shortly
afterwards, he left the auditorium through a side door and took a taxi to
his hotel. Arriving there, he ordered a refreshment and then locked the
door to his room.
He had just completed the meditations he
performed every night before going to bed when someone knocked on his
door. The bellboy apologized for such a late disturbance, and informed him
that a gentleman who urgently wanted to speak with him was waiting in the
hotel lobby.
Thoughtfully, Frabato read the peculiar business card
the bellboy had brought him. In the center of the card was a large circle;
within this was a smaller circle, above which was a triangle with two
intersecting lines. On either side of the large circle there were two
dragons; on the back of the card there was only the name "Hermes." The
card was printed in gold.
After a short consideration, Frabato
instructed the young man to escort the late visitor up to his room. A few
moments later he welcomed a well-dressed gentleman with graying hair.
It was almost morning when the visitor left the hotel. His
distraught face seemed to suggest that he had experienced something quite
extraordinary.
Chapter
II
The members of the secret F.O.G.C. Lodge, greatly feared
in occult circles, had gathered for a general meeting in Dresden. The
meeting hall was in a large villa, hidden in the midst of a private park
behind a tall hedge and large trees. The Grand Master of the lodge had
invited ninety-eight of the ninety-nine members to attend. Long before the
meeting commenced, the members had taken their places at two long tables.
All conversation in the hall became muted when the Grand Master
entered accompanied by his second-in-command, who also acted as Secretary.
There was a platform opposite the hall's entrance where the Grand Master
sat down behind a desk. He rang a bell and at once there was complete
silence. He addressed the brethren of the lodge in an intense, penetrating
voice:
"My dear brothers, I hereby open today's meeting, and I am
pleased that you have all accepted my invitation. As you know, according
to the laws of the lodge a general meeting such as this is only declared
in very special cases. You may have already noticed that Brother Silesius
is not present. Unfortunately, he has been found guilty of betraying lodge
secrets and, as Point Number One of the agenda, we will discuss his
sentence. Point Number Two concerns Frabato the Magician, who is becoming
so well-known here in Dresden.
"My dear brothers, you all know
that Brother Silesius has reached the twenty-fifth degree of initiation in
our lodge, and therefore must have been fully aware of his offences. His
excessive zeal seduced him to reveal to one of his friends the rituals we
use to invoke the elemental beings. According to the laws of our lodge,
the breaking of an oath and the disclosure of secrets are punishable by
death. However, the sentence will only become final after a secret vote by
all members present. Although the person in question is my friend, I
cannot excuse his behavior, and therefore I leave him to your judgment."
A nervous tension swiftly overwhelmed the brotherhood; the members
whispered excitedly among themselves. Some displayed anger, others sat as
if paralyzed. The Secretary handed out envelopes with a blank piece of
paper to everyone present. A simple "yes" or "no" would determine the life
or death of their lodge brother. "Yes" would mean death by psychic
assault, "no" would mean freedom and life.
Many wrote down their
judgments quickly, others hesitated for a moment, and a few were unable
even to control their trembling hands as they wrote down their verdicts.
Despite the fact that Silesius had been well-liked by many of them, a
false sense of compassion would be misplaced, for the betrayal of lodge
secrets could be very dangerous for all concerned.
At last the
Secretary collected all the envelopes in a small wooden box, took out the
slips of paper, and divided them into two small piles according to the
answers given. The brethren watched silently.
The Secretary
counted the slips of paper very carefully and made a note of the result.
His normally rosy face grew pale as he verified the result once again. He
then submitted his note to the Grand Master, who stared at the numbers,
his face reflecting shock - a good friend had just been sentenced to
death. He rose, quite disturbed. "My dear brothers," he said in a
trembling voice, "unfortunately the voting has gone against Silesius, who
has been irrevocably sentenced to death by a margin of fifty-one to
forty-seven. According to our laws, this sentence must be executed within
a month, but since, by using his occult faculties, Brother Silesius will
learn what is in store for him and will probably try to evade death, we
shall execute the sentence within twenty-four hours. The friend to whom he
betrayed the secrets of the lodge will suffer the same fate. I ask the
twenty-one brethren who are masters in telepathic combat to remain here
after the meeting and assist me in the psychic attack."
Although
the verdict had deeply shaken the Grand Master, he quickly regained his
composure and continued in a calmer voice.
"Since Point Number One
of the agenda has been settled, let us now deal with the case of Frabato.
Some of the brethren present attended his performances and were able to
convince themselves of his abilities at close range. It has been proven
that he works without the aid of conventional tricks. His experiments
succeeded beyond all expectation; yes, they were even better than what
many of our own brethren would be able to accomplish. Hermes, one of our
more versatile brothers, paid a visit to Frabato in order to test him. He
will now tell you of his experience."
The distinguished gentleman
who had visited Frabato late at night now rose from amongst the brethren.
"I chose the best astrological hour for my visit to Frabato. I
also took into account the correspondences of the elements in order to
place myself in a strong initial position. Besides this, I hoped he would
be exhausted after the performance he had just given; that would have been
to my advantage. I explained the unusual time of my visit by telling him I
had a journey to make which could not be postponed. Upon hearing this,
Frabato looked at me sharply and then smiled faintly without uttering a
word.
"I then painted a very colorful picture of our lodge
membership, pointed out its many advantages, and promised him a large sum
of money from our funds should he decide to join. But Frabato completely
ignored my proposals and started to talk about his journeys, his
performances and had a tiring effect on me. I had no wish to appear
foolish and, by gathering all my will power, I succeeded in staying awake
for the entire demonstration.
"The opalescent light illuminated
the entire room; however, it gradually began to vaporize inside the
sphere. There were multi-colored clouds floating within, but they soon
dissolved and were replaced by a violet hue. Then the image of our Grand
Master condensed, as in a panorama. The pictures moved swiftly from his
early childhood to the present day. Many of the events I saw shocked me; a
shiver ran down my spine. The most incredible pictures were unveiled
there, and I could not evade them for I was unable to move."
The
color of the Grand Master's face changed a few times. When Hermes began to
describe some of the more startling events of the Grand Master's life as
revealed to him in the magic mirror, the Grand Master discreetly gave him
to understand that this was not desirable. Hermes understood, and
skillfully moved on to more general topics.
"After I had been
given the opportunity to follow in this magical manner the destiny of our
Grand Master and that of our lodge up until the present, Frabato made a
circle over the sphere with his right hand and, with his right forefinger,
drew a figure which I did not recognize. The images disappeared.
"Somewhat relieved, I wanted to turn away from the sphere, when
suddenly the shape of our Secretary condensed inside of it. His life, too,
rolled off like a film in front of my eyes. Every crime of the lodge was
revealed without mercy. In this manner, Frabato continued to disclose to
me the lives of the seven eldest members of our lodge. When he wanted to
show me my own life, I felt so ill at ease and ashamed that he refrained.
After he had drawn another figure over the sphere and murmured a formula,
the light finally faded.
"Frabato rose, switched on the electric
light and extinguished the lamp. Silently, he replaced the sphere and the
lamp in their boxes and locked everything away in the suitcase. When he
had finished, he asked me with a scornful air, 'Now, sir, do you still
wish to recommend something like that to me?'
"I was completely
confused by the magical power of the man, and hence incapable of uttering
a word. I grabbed my hat and coat and hurried to the door without daring
to make any comment. I did not even put my things on until I reached the
corridor, and then I left the hotel in haste. My belief in the power of
our lodge was strongly shaken, and I could find no rest that night."
The account of this experience with Frabato made a great
impression on everyone present. No one dared to move; a dead quiet weighed
upon them heavily. The Grand Master rose hurriedly and broke the
depressive silence with a sharp voice.
"Dear brother Hermes, in
the name of our brotherhood I thank you for your efforts during this
difficult mission. I consider Frabato's revelations of the activities of
our lodge, and of some of its highest and eldest members, a great insult.
I swear by the name of the Lord of Darkness that we shall release all the
furies of hell on Frabato, so that he will learn what he is dealing with!
I shall not allow our lodge to be insulted! He shall be subjected to the
fatal power of our vibrations until he perishes most miserably! May he be
damned in the name of Satan, in the name of Ashtaroth, and in the name of
Belial!"
The enraged Grand Master shouted his terrible curse; it
was the most severe malediction he had ever been driven to utter in
public. No victim could escape such a curse, or evade the persecutions of
the Order.
After requesting that the twenty-one executioners of
the lodge remain, he thanked the assembly for their co-operation and
closed the session by ringing the bell. Some took their leave after giving
the lodge's secret sign, then disappeared into the city traffic.
Inconspicuous behavior was one of the strictest rules of the lodge, and
necessary in order not to arouse the attention of the general public or
the curious.
The Grand Master took his seat again, a smile of
contentment on his face. He felt instinctively that this Frabato was a
powerful opponent, but there was no turning back after uttering his curse.
This battle would have to be fought to the end, even if it endangered his
own life. Under no circumstances could he allow his authority over the
brethren to be lost or even undermined.
The remaining brethren
discussed at length how Frabato could best be attacked. Many different
suggestions were made and recorded in shorthand by the Secretary in order
to be put to a vote at the next meeting.
The case of Brother
Silesius was to be settled in the traditional manner, and thus it was not
necessary to discuss the matter further. Upon a signal from the Grand
Master, the Secretary left the hall and went into a room situated at the
back of the house. This room, which had no windows and the doors of which
were equipped with special safety locks, contained oddly-shaped cupboards
in which various magical equipment was stored. The black magician opened
an iron trunk and removed a medium-sized coffin.
Contained therein
was the wax figure of a man. Then, from a safe in the wall, he took a
large brown bottle sealed with a glass stopper. He placed the objects on a
table in the middle of the room. With a pocket knife, he loosened a little
plate from the skull-pan of the wax figure, revealing a small opening. A
canal the width of a finger ran down the length of the figure's back.
The Secretary then unsealed and opened the brown bottle and
carefully poured as much liquid into the opening of the figure as was
necessary to fill it to the head. Then he covered the opening again with
the plate and fastened it with liquid wax. He shaped and smoothed the wax,
thus concealing any trace of the opening. He closed the bottle and sealed
it with the help of his signet ring.
There was a smooth circle on
the figure's chest, in which the Secretary now wrote the victim's lodge
name. He took a diary from the cupboard and, in the lodge's secret code,
entered the day's date and the name of the man to be executed, then put it
back in its place. Following this, he opened the drawer of a desk in which
were daggers of various lengths, shapes, and strengths. From this
collection he selected a dagger which was small and sharp. After
ascertaining that he had not forgotten anything, he placed both the wax
figure and the dagger in the coffin, then left the room.
With the
coffin under his arm, the Secretary carefully locked the door and went
back to the assembly hall. The Grand Master took the coffin. He made
certain the figure had been correctly prepared, then placed the coffin
upright on the floor. Three large candles were lit, and the electric
lights were turned off.
The twenty-one executioners now formed a
circle around the figure, the Grand Master remaining outside the ring to
function as an observer. The brethren joined hands and walked slowly
around the figure seven times, staring at it intently without
interruption. They began to breathe rhythmically in unison, raising and
lowering their arms. Each time they exhaled and lowered their arms, they
repeated a formula, louder and louder each time.
The entire
ceremony was repeated and the pace quickened. Patches of fog were
beginning to form around the figure, condensing into clouds, and
eventually solidifying to a spherical shape which completely engulfed the
wax figure. The grayish color which had been visible at the beginning now
turned to red. Dark figures seemed to be condensing therein, and, after a
few moments, the cloud formation took on a fiery red color. The Grand
Master approached it, making a sign in the air with his right hand. Then
he broke the chain formed by the brethren. Slowly, the red cloud
disappeared into the wax figure. The exhausted brethren sat down at the
table.
The Grand Master seized the figure and placed it in the
open coffin. Solemnly, he lit the candles in the candlestick holders which
stood at either end of the casket. There was complete silence in the hall.
The twenty-one brothers were rigid with suspense; they dared not move.
The Grand Master's face froze into a mask. His eyes were cold and
fixed as he reached for the waiting dagger. His hand rose slowly, his eyes
riveted upon their object - the circle with the victim's name. Then the
blade flashed in the candle-light and pierced the figure's chest. A crash
of thunder shook the hall to its foundations; an enormous roar filled the
air, as though a storm were about to erupt. This lasted for a few moments,
then faded gradually to a distant rumble and finally subsided altogether,
giving way to an uncanny stillness.
The Grand Master's face
mirrored triumph, for he felt that he was master over life and death.
Relieved, he let himself fall back into a nearby chair.
Although
all those present were familiar with such phenomena, they were
nevertheless stricken with terror every time they performed rituals of
this kind. The Secretary was the first to recover. He switched on the
light, extinguished the candles, and removed the coffin.
The other
brethren also regained their composure. The phenomenon they had
experienced was proof that the purpose of their efforts had been achieved.
They talked quietly among themselves as their Master entered the
particulars of the magical operation in the diary. He then rose and
addressed them.
"My dear brothers, I thank you all for your
successful participation. Our Brother Silesius died of a heart attack at
precisely 10:00 P.M. We have executed the sentence in accordance with the
regulations of our holy order, and have thus taken revenge for the treason
he committed. His friend has been sentenced to death as well, but his
execution will take place at a later date. We shall discuss the reasons
for this at our next meeting. The admission of a new member to replace
Brother Silesius can be combined with the St. John's Day meeting. I expect
to see you here tomorrow evening at eight o'clock. The case of Frabato is
on the agenda. Today's session is now closed. Good night."
One
after the other, the brethren left the lodge and disappeared
inconspicuously into the night.
The minute hand on the large
electric clock in the railroad station was slowly moving towards 10:00. In
the station concourse a number of travelers were waiting for the express
train from Bad Schandau to Berlin. A voice on the loud-speaker announced
the train's arrival, and those who were waiting went up to the platform
quickly, for the train would stop in Dresden for only a few minutes.
Frabato was standing in front of the list of train schedules, making a few
notes. Just as the express train arrived, he put his notebook back in his
pocket. A compartment door opened directly in front of him and a young man
in a traveling suit jumped out and hurried to the refreshment stand. He
paid for a packet of biscuits and was on his way back to the train when,
after a few steps, he suddenly reached for his chest with both hands and
collapsed with a groan. He writhed in pain for just a few seconds, his
face contorted in a spasm; then his body lay motionless.
Curious
onlookers immediately gathered around him. The police arrived quickly and
took the lifeless body to the station office. Someone called a doctor on
the telephone and the eye-witnesses gave their statements.
Standing nearby, Frabato silently watched the course of events. He
knew instinctively that the unknown man had not died a natural death, and,
as a magician, he knew as well that it was too late for help. Slowly, he
left the station and walked towards the Leipzigerstrasse. After a stroll
of about an hour he stopped in a little grove on the outskirts of the city
and sat down to rest.
The night was wonderfully mild and the moon
and stars were shining from a clear sky. Absorbed in meditation, he stayed
there a while before starting to walk back to his hotel. He stopped a taxi
near the Elbe harbor and got a ride the rest of the way. It was two
o'clock in the morning when he entered his room. He locked the door,
pulled out his suitcase and set up his magic sphere. What he saw there
confirmed his suspicion that the young man's death had been caused by a
violent action on the part of the F.O.G.C. Lodge. Frabato locked the ball
away in the suitcase and retired for the night.
Next morning he
bought a copy of Dresden's largest daily newspaper and found what he was
looking for on the front page. The following account was given under the
headline "Death At Dresden Central Station":
"The popular author
Dr. Alfred M. died suddenly at Central Station at ten o'clock last night,
Our city mourns the sudden end of this young and promising talent whose
works have been greeted with so much enthusiasm. His latest drama, The
Testament, has only recently been printed. We shall keep this ambitious
and talented man in our hearts in loyal remembrance."
Chapter
III
As agreed upon, the twenty-one specialists in the art of
psychic attack met with the Grand Master of the F.O.G.C. Lodge once again.
First they dealt with the issue of Director Z., the president of a large
bank who had received some important secrets of the twenty-eight degrees
of the Lodge from Silesius. Since the director was not a member, he either
had to become one or else forfeit his life. But his personality did not
seem to fit in with the lodge, and consequently he was sentenced to death.
As president of a large financial institution, Z. commanded a great deal
of authority - hence it was decided that he should first be used as an
instrument to procure large sums of money.
The lodge consisted
primarily of powerful capitalists who had amassed their considerable
possessions and wealth through occult means - which also allowed them to
access major sources of capital even during hard times. They were prepared
to employ any means to achieve their goals. A man's life meant little to
them, and they were proficient at exploiting the legal machinery of the
land for their own purposes. Their complex methods, training, and
experience enabled them to carry on their criminal trade right under the
public's nose without arousing any suspicion. Their work was facilitated
by the fact that the German public paid no attention to research in the
field of mental laws and powers.
The lodge gave public
performances on the subject of occultism which were intended to convince
the public that it was all just tricks and deception - for they knew full
well that a general knowledge of occult philosophy would create a new
social order that could greatly hinder their own goals. Besides this ,
their performances also functioned as a hedge against the possibility that
they might be recognized by genuine, high-minded occultists who, if
believed, might expose them to the world.
The work accomplished by
Frabato, who was able so convincingly to demonstrate the existence of
spiritual laws and powers, naturally aroused their hostility. If he had
simply been one of the many pseudo-occultists who were then so popular,
the lodge would have had no reason to intervene. The Grand Master in
particular was full of hatred for Frabato, whom he could not forgive for
revealing his own past to Brother Hermes. Therefore, the lodge members
decided to use every means possible to prevent Frabato from continuing his
lectures.
First, however, they made the necessary preparations for
the death of Director Z. The Secretary went to the basement apartment to
fetch Elli, the caretaker's daughter, who acted as their clairvoyant
medium in various experiments. The girl lived there with her father, her
mother having died several years before. Elli was eighteen and slender,
with wavy brown hair and dark blue eyes. Although she did not like being a
medium, she dared not refuse, for that would have cost her father his job.
After a few minutes, Elli appeared in the conference room
accompanied by the Secretary. A signal was given and a sofa was placed in
the center of the room, draped with a white silk cover. A second silk
cover was kept ready nearby in case it became necessary to insulate the
medium during the experiment.
The Grand Master gave the signal to
begin the operation. Elli lay down on the sofa and the Secretary sat
beside her on a chair. He looked into her eyes with a penetrating stare
and whispered a few powerful suggestions. Within a few minutes Elli was in
the first stages of hypnosis; with a number of magnetic strokes the
magician succeeded in placing her into the deepest possible state. A few
more strokes over her throat enabled her to speak during hypnosis.
Elli was so well trained in hypnotic states that she was able to
carry out any command without difficulty. First she was ordered to find
out, through a mental visit, what Frabato was doing at that very moment;
she immediately reported that he was performing magical experiments on a
stage. The Secretary hurriedly called her spirit back, afraid that Frabato
would notice her and thus become aware of their present activities.
Elli was then ordered to report on the activities of Director Z.
She responded at once that he was home reading the newspaper. Asked about
other members of the director's family, the medium answered that there was
no one else in the house. Armed with this knowledge, the Grand Master made
a sign and the brethren formed a circle around Elli and the Secretary.
They charged the medium with magnetic fluid and, when the magnetic tension
became strong enough, ordered her to make the director sleep and then to
watch him constantly.
Through the medium's influence, Z. was
seized by an overwhelming need for slumber. He had scarcely placed his
head on the pillow before he fell fast asleep. Elli then did as she had
been asked and informed the lodge members of the director's condition; she
was then ordered to maintain contact with him. Through this magical
assault, Z. had become a powerless instrument of the lodge.
The
Secretary now engraved Z.'s name into a small wax disc prepared for that
purpose. He placed it on the medium's solar plexus, thus forming a close
spiritual connection with the victim. Next, the disc was placed on the
girl's forehead for a few minutes in order to make the director's spirit
susceptible to receiving orders by long-distance hypnosis. The Secretary
touched the medium's ears and heart with the disc and then set it aside.
The circle formed by the brethren opened for a moment, the sofa
with the medium on it was pushed aside, and the Grand Master now seated
himself in the center of the ring. Next, the small wax disc was heated
slightly, and then molded into the shape of a shell. Chanting a magic
formula over and over again, the Grand Master placed himself in a state of
trance so as to establish better psychic contact with the receiver, while
he himself received the power to transmit energy from the circle formed by
his brethren. In a voice filled with the power of suggestion he spoke into
the small wax shell:
"A young man will come to your office
tomorrow morning, promptly at 11:45. He will be wearing a dark suit and a
red tie. This man will request a loan of a million marks for a building
project in Switzerland. Being unable to resist, you will comply with his
request. After he has stroked his forehead with his right hand three
times, you will draw him a check for one million marks. Immediately after
giving him the check, you will become irresistibly weary and fall asleep
for exactly five minutes. When you awaken again, you will have forgotten
everything that happened during the preceding hour. On no account will you
be able to remember what the young man looked like. Every detail of the
incident will have disappeared from your memory. From that moment on, you
will begin to feel ill; you will even look sick, and you will be haunted
with bad nerves. Your thoughts will be completely disordered for hours at
a time, and you will become increasingly tired and depressed with each new
day. You will get annoyed at every little thing and, consequently, you
will find no rest. Nothing in this world will bring you joy. Finally,
everyone who comes near you will find you unbearable, and after exactly
fourteen days you will shoot yourself with your revolver."
Director Z. was regarded as a man of honor, well-known for his
expertise in his field. Once, in London, he had been robbed; since then he
had become very cautious and always kept a pistol ready at his bedside.
After the Grand Master concluded his hypnotic suggestions, he
stared at the wax shell for a few more minutes, made a ritual sign, and
wrapped the shell in a violetcolored silk cloth which the Secretary had
given him.
The brethren's magic circle dissolved and they took
their seats in the middle of the room. The sofa with the medium still in
trance upon it was rolled back to the center of the room. The Secretary
called her spirit back from the director's house and sent it to Frabato.
Frabato had by this time finished his performance and was visiting
a good friend. The medium gave the brethren the exact address, and
reported that the friend's family had already gone to bed and that the two
men were talking about occult problems. Their talk was so lively that
Frabato did not notice Elli watching him.
Having received this
information, the Secretary called back the medium's spirit and, with a few
magnetic strokes and the corresponding formula, brought Elli back to
consciousness. She had no idea what she had achieved for the lodge - it
was the extra income that appealed to her, although she found the peculiar
circumstances of these meetings, on the whole, uncanny. The Secretary
gently led her out of the room and gave her a few banknotes as a reward.
One of the secrets of the F.O.G.C. lodge members lay in their
ability to put anyone to sleep, wake him up again, make him sick or
healthy, and invigorate or kill him whenever they liked. The leading
members of the lodge, however, had only acquired this knowledge by
entering into a pact with a prince of demons. With their magical methods,
they were able to influence any untrained person, who had no way of
discovering the source of the influences at work upon him.
Frabato
was a special case for the lodge, because he was acquainted with occult
practices of every kind and, in addition to this, he was under the
protection of the Brothers of Light. The F.O.G.C. Lodge knew about the
Brothers of Light, but had no clear idea concerning the genuine extent of
their powers. They decided to dispose of Frabato with a magical onslaught.
After a short discussion, the Secretary went to the equipment room for the
piece of apparatus they called the tepaphone. This device was placed in
the center of the room. It was the lodge's most strictly guarded secret: a
magical vibratory instrument which could emit fatal vibrations across any
distance and constituted the deadliest weapon in the arsenal of the lodge.
If the picture or mumia of any human being or animal were placed
at the focal point of the tepaphone's vibrations, both the astral and
physical bodies of that entity would be affected. Substances of any kind
could be destroyed by this instrument from any distance. Furthermore, it
served as a wireless transmitter of energy - something modern science
could only dream about. Any kind of thought could be transmitted by the
tepaphone as well. Finally, the device made it possible to cause nervous
diseases and poisonings which puzzled the medical establishment.
Typically, a picture or personal object was sufficient to establish
contact with the intended victim - and remember, distance was of no
consequence.
Since Frabato was a well-known personality, his
picture was published in the newspapers from time to time, and it was easy
for the F.O.G.C. Lodge to obtain a photograph for their purpose. The Grand
Master now secured Frabato's photo to the focal point of the tepaphone's
ray and ignited the fuel, a specially prepared mixture of high percentage
alcohol. At the same time, the other brethren formed a magic circle around
the apparatus to begin combat telepathy by condensing the element of fire
to the physical plane.
Black magicians usually resorted to this
method of annihilation in cases where the victim possessed great occult
abilities. The tepaphone was also frequently used for executions within
the lodge. Thus far, the apparatus had never failed. Victims of the
tepaphone were always diagnosed as having died from a stroke.
Frabato was still with his friend and their lively conversation
continued. Both were so absorbed in their discussion that at first they
did not notice the attack waged by the F.O.G.C. Lodge. Only when Frabato
broke into a sudden excess of perspiration did he notice the extraordinary
conditions around him. He walked up and down the room restlessly, seeking
the cause of this unusual heat. He had never experienced anything like it
before. The temperature in the room began to rise, affecting his friend as
well. Frabato quickly ascertained that the cause of the heat was not in
his own physical body. His wrist watch and his ring burnt like fire on his
skin. There was no doubt that some alien power was attempting to destroy
him. He wanted to confront and fight this power, but the heat had already
penetrated his body so severely that he was no longer able to concentrate.
He sank helplessly into a chair.
His friend too was powerless
against the projected force. What could one do in a case like this? To
seek medical help would be senseless; what could doctors do against
magical attacks?
The blood was almost boiling in Frabato's veins
and, although he tried to resist, he could not effectively influence his
body with his spirit. Desperate, Frabato called upon God for help and
inspiration. He was convinced that, if he were not destined to end his
incarnation this very hour, he would gain the help he needed.
Frabato's friend tried to magnetize him but had to retreat because
the extreme heat in the room had become almost unbearable. Suddenly,
Frabato heard a voice within him calling, "Divert with water!"
He
opened his lips and whispered, "Water! Plenty of water!"
His
friend hurried out of the room, got a bucket and filled it with water. He
quickly brought it back to Frabato, who listlessly dropped his left hand
into it. Instantly he was relieved, and after a few minutes the clarity
and power of his thoughts were restored.
The water was getting
warmer and warmer; the friend had to get another bucket. The heat was thus
conducted into the water for a long time, for the attack by the lodge
continued unabated. But as the destructive vibrations were now passing
through his body without any effect, Frabato soon felt strong enough to
employ his clairvoyance. Spiritually, he pursued the destructive rays and
discovered that they had their origin in the F.O.G.C. Lodge.
"You
will regret having attacked me in this way," he thought. "As far as
spiritual law permits, I shall work to defeat ail your future plans."
As the tepaphone continued to emit its vibrations, Frabato
continued to divert them into the water. Clairvoyantly, he observed
without interruption the lodge's meeting until, after another hour, they
broke their magic circle, removed his photo from the focal point, and
extinguished the flame. He then watched as the Secretary locked the
dangerous weapon back in the equipment room.
Afterwards, the lodge
brethren talked among themselves for a short while, expressing their
satisfaction that Frabato would no longer be able to do them any harm.
They were already looking forward to the reports in the following day's
newspapers informing the public of the well-known magician's sudden death
and the cancellation of his performances.
Another meeting was
arranged for the next evening to celebrate the victory over their hated
enemy. Then the sinister brotherhood disbanded for the day.
At
that moment Frabato ended his observations. Since he had no acquaintances
at his hotel, he accepted his friend's invitation to stay the night.
Before retiring for the evening, though, he asked for a long piece of
copper or iron wire and a sharp kitchen knife. His friend complied with
Frabato's strange request; Frabato pulled the wire round his bed,
connected both ends to the knife, and thrust it into the floor.
Concentrating intently for a short while, he charged the wire with the
power of protection in all three worlds. By so doing, he insulated himself
securely against any injurious spiritual influences.
Then he went
to bed. Frabato thanked God for his wonderful rescue and was soon sound
asleep.
Chapter
IV
The Grand Master of the F.O.G.C. Lodge sat in an elegant
cafe on Pragerstrasse drinking a cup of coffee and perusing the pages of
the Dresden papers.
"No notice of Frabato's death? It cannot be
true! The tepaphone has never failed. Why else did we make a pact with the
Prince of Demons?"
These were the thoughts that pounded through
his mind.
Rage and disappointment strained his nerves. The
brethren of the lodge wanted to celebrate their success that evening - and
now this disgrace! Such a failure would no doubt shake some members'
confidence in the power of the lodge. And above all, the Grand Master also
realized that his own authority was greatly endangered.
He called
to cancel the meeting for that evening and went to the lodge alone. As
soon as he arrived, he went to a temple room used only for special magical
operations carried out by the Grand Master himself.
The room had a
single window that could be blacked out with a curtain. Near the east
wall, a tetragonal column ornamented with magical signs served as an
altar; the magical equipment had already been placed there. Above was a
picture of Baphomet, the supreme god of black magicians. The walls were
covered with dark-blue velvet. A large chandelier hung from the center of
the light-blue ceiling. On the altar was a small magic lamp of the type
called lanterna magica by occultists, shining with the seven colors of the
rainbow and symbolizing an alliance with the spheres of the seven planets.
In each corner of the room there were two very large candles in
magnificent silver candlesticks. Although the room could be lit by
electricity, only candles or spirit lamps were used for magical
operations.
The Grand Master removed a dark-blue silk coat and a
head scarf of the same color from a wardrobe. He closed the door to the
temple, undressed, and put on the silk coat and scarf. The part of the
scarf which covered his forehead was ornamented with an inverted pentagram
embroidered in silver. A pair of violet silk slippers adorned his feet. He
opened a wall safe and took out an enormous white cover which he placed on
the floor. The cover was embroidered with a multi-colored magical circle
shaped like a snake whose back was ornamented with various names. There
was a triangle just above the embroidered magic circle; it pointed upwards
and there were letters at its corners. The center of the circle contained
an inverted pentagram, embroidered in reddish-purple. Each corner of the
pentagram was ornamented with a letter; taken altogether, they spelled out
the word "Satan."
The Grand Master placed a dish of incense above
the triangle and five flat candles round the circle. Then he carefully
examined each piece of magical equipment again, for nothing must be
forgotten during the invocations he intended to perform. Despite the
protection he had acquired through his demonic pact, the least inattention
could have severe consequences.
After adding incense powder, he
lit the charcoal in the censer and a strong odor filled the room. Then he
lit the candles and switched off the electric lights. The curtains kept
out the daylight.
The Grand Master stepped majestically into the
magic circle. His left hand gripped his magic sword, his right hand his
magic wand. From his neck hung a lamen engraved with the seal of the being
he was about to invoke. Facing east, he recited the invocation formula
with fervor:
"I am linked to you, salamanders and fire spirits of
Hell. Your element is subject to me in all three worlds. I call upon you
and invoke you, prince of the hellish fire spirits! I invoke you in the
name of Satan, your holy master, who is your lord and ruler! As an ally of
your master, I order you in his name to succumb to my will and to support
my purposes through your element. I bind you to my magic sword and force
you to absolute obedience. I demand from you that your fierce fire spirits
be subjected to my will and that they assist me with my plans at
whatsoever time. In the name of your highest lord and ruler, with whom I
am joined by pact, I command you to persecute and destroy Frabato. Prince
of the fire spirits of Hell! Appear here now, visibly before my circle, to
confirm the reception of my orders!"
After the Grand Master had
passionately recited this invocation, the flames of the candles rose high
and the floor began to vibrate. A brightly shining ray appeared in the
magic triangle and a shrill voice was heard:
"I have heard your
request, great magician! We must serve you, for our most supreme lord is
obligated to you. Therefore my subjects and I shall persecute Frabato
wherever the influence of our element makes it possible. However, I cannot
guarantee full success - because Frabato must fulfill a special mission on
earth. His fate is not that of ordinary mortals!"
The shape of the
being had become increasingly visible, and tongues of fire were dancing
round it. An unbearable heat emanated from the apparition, whose power was
so piercing that the Grand Master himself felt he was in danger. He lifted
his sword and directed its tip towards the entity. The fire-being vanished
with the crackling of a thunderbolt, causing the ground beneath his feet
to vibrate.
After resting and concentrating quietly for a few
moments, the black magician faced south:
"You, forces of the
element of air! My whole being is now in contact with your element. King
of the demonic beings of the air, heed my call and obey my will. As an
ally of your highest lord, I invoke you in his name! You and your
hurricane-spirits that pass through the atmosphere at tremendous speeds
must obey my orders. I invoke you, king of the demonic spirits of the air!
Appear visibly here before my circle and confirm the reception of my
request. Do not hesitate, for if you do, I will torture and torment you in
your master's name! King of the air, appear before me now!"
Amidst
ear-splitting howls, an air spirit became visible in the magic triangle.
"You earthworm! If you were not our most supreme lord's ally, I would tear
you to pieces with my element. You dare threaten me in such a manner? It
is only due to your pact that I owe you my obedience. Now, express your
request!"
"I demand the destruction of Frabato," the Grand Master
called out authoritatively.
"Your spirits of the air shall
persecute him continuously and thwart his every deed. Make him a powerless
weakling."
"1 will do what is within my power, but I cannot
promise success, for the Brothers of Light are behind Frabato," the king
of the air replied scornfully - and then he too disappeared. The mention
of Frabato's special position, his power and the source of his protection,
caused hatred and rage to surge anew in the Grand Master's soul. In such a
mood he turned westward: "Forces of water, I conjure you! Listen to my
demand, beings of the watery element! Mighty demon prince of the waters, I
invoke you. I am linked with your element and I speak your language. I
call you in the name of Satan, your lord. I, the ally of your ruler, must
be obeyed at once; ascend from the roaring ocean and appear visibly here
before my circle to confirm the reception of my requests. Do not refuse to
come or I shall persecute you in your infernal ruler's name with the
element of fire! Prince of the waters, appear to me!"
With an
immense roar, a peculiar being, half human and half fish, materialized in
the magic triangle and addressed the magician in a hoarse voice:
"You have called me from my element, even though you know that I
detest large cities. If you were not my master's ally I would have you
plagued by my element because of your threats. Now, tell me what you want
and do it quickly!" Seething with anger and hate, the Grand Master cried
out, "I have not called you from the depths of the sea without reason. In
the name of your lord and master, I demand the persecution and destruction
of Frabato. He is the first to resist our lodge, and therefore I want him
exterminated!"
"I will try to fulfill your wish. What is in my
power will be done, but success cannot be guaranteed. Much will depend on
whether we can seize Frabato in a weak hour." The magician dismissed the
being with his magic wand; it vanished.
He was enraged that the
princes of the elements had not promised him full success; he began to
realize the great difficulties that were to come. In order to complete his
magic square, he had to invoke the prince of the earth element as well. He
faced north. "Mighty prince of the hellish element of earth, your master's
ally is calling you in his name. In the name of Satan, leave the
underworld and appear visibly before my circle and confirm to me that you
have received my request. Obey my commands immediately, otherwise I will
torment you in the name of your master. Prince of the earth, appear to me
now!"
The ground beneath the Grand Master's feet quaked and, with
a crashing roar, a small man with gray hair and a long chin appeared in
the magic triangle. His large, dark, deepset eyes flashed at the black
magician. In his right hand he held a lantern which emitted a light that
was strangely dim and yet intense. The earth spirit stared at the magician
with a penetrating look and said:
"Reluctantly I have left my
realm to obey your will. According to the spiritual laws and by virtue of
your pact I owe you obedience until you die. What is your wish?" The deep
voice and the powerfully icy stare of the being caused a cold shudder to
run down the magician's spine. It suddenly occurred to him that at his
death he would become a servant to this creature.
The prince of
gnomes waited quietly in the magic triangle. He could read the magician's
thoughts and feelings quite easily, and it seemed to fill him with great
pleasure that this power-mad man would be his subject in the future.
Though almost paralyzed, the Grand Master composed himself,
saying, "I know what is in store for me; but in the present I cannot
remain inactive and watch an outsider celebrate his success and ridicule
our lodge. I therefore demand that you persecute and destroy Frabato with
all your powers. Pull him down into the depths of your realm and surround
him with a veil of darkness so that he cannot escape. This is my will! The
extermination of Frabato will serve the image of your master and our
brotherhood." "I will do what is in my power," answered the spirit of
earth softly, "but I cannot guarantee full success in the case of a man
like Frabato."
The earth spirit disappeared and the entire
building suddenly became as silent as a graveyard. The invocation of the
elemental beings had so exhausted the Grand Master that he stood in the
magic circle as if physically beaten. He was breathing heavily and an
emptiness pervaded his mind. He saw the demon spirit which served him
every day standing in a corner of the room. This entity had been at his
side for many years, helping him fulfill his wishes; he had become
completely dependent upon the creature. He was aware that he no longer had
the power to loosen himself from his chains; the spiritual laws gave him
no chance to annul his pact with the rulers of demonic powers. The power
which he had gained through his pact would not last forever, and, just as
he was a master today, he would be a slave tomorrow. He had been unable to
satisfy his lust for material power and wealth with his occult abilities;
therefore he had succumbed to the temptation of a magical pact. A feeling
of dependency weighed upon him like a nightmare in this very hour; he
suffered hellish torments he had never before experienced in his life. His
hatred for Frabato was immense, though, and it was fueled by the failure
of the princes of the four elements to guarantee him success.
The
question, "What powerful authority is behind this Frabato?" hammered in
his mind. "I want him destroyed even if I have to risk my own life!"
Driven by these thoughts, the Grand Master decided to invoke the
master of demonic powers himself, and ask him to fulfill his wish. The
black magician laid his sword upon the floor inside the circle and placed
his left foot upon it. He raised the magic wand with his right hand and
drew the seal of darkness in the air, the agreed-upon sign which would
invoke the very master of demons.
He had scarcely completed the
seal when a glaring ray ascended from the ground and illumined the entire
room. The Grand Master stood there as if struck by lightning and struggled
to retain consciousness, for the room had been filled with a deadly
paralyzing vibration. No ordinary mortal would have been able to survive
this terrible energy, and only the Grand Master's pact saved him from
instant annihilation.
A very peculiar figure slowly condensed in
the triangle, sporting the horned head of a he-goat and a hairy human body
with breasts. Its hands had freakish, talon-like fingers, and its feet
were like the hooves of a bull. A long, thick tail completed the figure.
After the apparition became completely visible, the ray of light
disappeared into the ground. Only rarely had the magician seen this
spirit, for this was Baphomet himself, the master of demons!
Baphomet spoke sneeringly to the trembling Grand Master;
"Well, great magician, I know of your wish to destroy Frabato. It
is a good idea and I will support it with all my power. However, it will
not be easy, for this Frabato is a man with a special spiritual mission.
This is why our proven methods have failed thus far. If you insist on your
request, we face a difficult task. Perhaps you should spend the rest of
your days enjoying other pleasures in life."
A battle raged
between the Grand Master's conscience, his fear, and his hate. In the end
his hatred was victorious and in a blind rage he mumbled, "What have I
made this pact for? You are obligated to assist me until the end of my
life. You may triumph over me after my death, but now I demand your
assistance in the extermination of Frabato. I shall have no pleasure in
life otherwise. May he be eternally damned!"
After the magician
had uttered his curse, the uncanny visitor vanished into the ground
without replying. The paralyzing tension dissolved at once. Completely
exhausted, the Grand Master uttered the dismissal formula for all the
beings he had invoked, whilst adding a few protective formulas just to be
sure. He hurriedly locked all the magical aids in their respective
cabinets and left the temple.
He fell onto a sofa in an adjacent
room, unable for some time to formulate a clear thought. After a cup of
strong coffee he felt somewhat revived, but he was unable to cast off the
dramatic events of the day.
The sun was shining brightly in the
blue sky, but the Grand Master was sullen as he left the lodge and hastily
made his way home.
Chapter
V
On the evening of that same day, the lecture room of the
Eccentric Club was sold out. Frabato was giving a private séance for
reporters and scientists, and only invited guests were permitted. There
were, however, some F.O.G.C. members among those present, for the lodge
had its representatives among every social class.
When the session
was over, the reporters surrounded Frabato, plaguing him with questions.
After their first onslaught, and when their curiosity had been
sufficiently satisfied, Frabato withdrew into a separate room for further
discussion with a smaller group. When the subject of hypnosis was raised,
Frabato explained with regret that he would henceforth be unable to
perform hypnotic demonstrations upon members of his audience. A police
inspector had informed him of a new law regarding hypnosis; Frabato had
promised to obey it.
The new law caused a sudden stirring in the
group. A reporter shouted to Frabato, "I will wager five hundred marks
that you will not dare to carry out a demonstration of hypnosis in your
next performance!"
Frabato felt cornered. It was not his practice
to transgress against civil law. On the other hand, it was beneath his
dignity to allow himself to be called a coward - especially as he had been
strongly harassed by the devotees of sensationalism. Confident that some
saving idea would occur to him, he accepted the wager.
He left the
club soon afterwards and drove back to the hotel in his car. Next morning,
he reflected once more on the events of the previous day. He became
suspicious that the wager was in fact an attempt at entrapment by the
F.O.G.C. Lodge. Suddenly, he had a good idea how to evade the trap without
losing the wager. He dressed quickly and went for a walk, perfecting each
detail of his plan. After breakfast he posted his mail and then drove into
the city.
He entered a large music shop on Wilhelmstrasse and
asked a saleswoman whether it were possible to record his voice and then
take the disc with him immediately thereafter. The woman said yes and took
Frabato to the studio. Frabato did not leave the music shop till
afternoon. Heavily laden with a number of records, he merrily made his way
back to the hotel.
The grand hall in the art gallery was lively.
Reporters from the Dresden papers were anxious not to miss the evening. A
steady stream of people pushed its way into the already crowded hall to
witness the demonstrations of the mysterious Frabato. Smiling, Frabato
appeared on the stage. After the welcoming applause had subsided, he
addressed the audience:
"Ladies and gentlemen, I thank you very
much for such a warm welcome, and for your great interest in my
performances. In one of my former lectures I pointed out that there are
many things between heaven and earth which ordinary mortals cannot easily
understand or master. I was permitted to present you with evidence of the
power of magnetism, the influence of the human will over any distance, and
of clairvoyance and telepathy.
"As in previous performances, I
would like to ask you once again to assist me in my demonstrations. To
begin with, I want to introduce you to the world of the departed, and to
show you that man's existence does not end with what we call death; on the
contrary, true life begins. Life in the physical body is to be regarded as
a sort of preparation for this.
"I will refrain from turning
tables and the like, as these are the methods traditionally employed by
charlatans. I do hope to provide you with a more impressive show by
calling some of the spirits of the dead to this stage."
A murmur
rushed throughout the hall after Frabato's astonishing proclamation,
finally giving way to an expectant silence when a gentleman left his seat
and stepped onto the stage.
"My name is Schneider," he said,
introducing himself to Frabato, "and I am a professor of chemistry. You
are talking, and quite convincingly, about spiritual powers and entities
whose existence is, at this time, denied by orthodox science. I would be
grateful to you if you could give me any evidence of the spiritual powers
you describe. Being a scientist and a skeptic, I shall not be easily
convinced."
Frabato asked the audience whether he had their
permission to address the professor's question with the relevant evidence.
The answer was a unanimous "yes" and an enthusiastic round of applause.
Everyone was eager and curious to learn what sort of experiment Frabato
would perform in order to convince the skeptic.
Frabato offered
the professor a seat at the edge of the stage and asked him to be patient
for a few moments; he wanted to say a few words about the teachings of
spiritualism first. He had spoken only a few sentences, however, when
there was a sudden visible change in the professor. The man became quite
obviously pale; his eyes stared into space. Then he slipped from his
chair, fell in a heap, and lay motionless. Some members of the audience
cried out. Others rose from their seats, craning their necks to see what
had happened.
Throughout the commotion, Frabato did not bat an
eyelid. He did not even look at the professor. Eventually, he raised his
hand and asked for silence, saying:
"Ladies and gentlemen, please
remain quiet. No harm will come to the professor. To surprise you, I have
detached a portion of my personality during the course of my lecture and
sent it to extract the greater part of the professor's astral vitality. By
so doing, I have induced in him a state similar to that of death. He is no
longer breathing and his heartbeat has ceased. A medical diagnosis would
probably be heart failure." Frabato was thinking of the F.O.G.C, brethren,
some of whom were certainly present. They would be seething inwardly, for
here he was publicly demonstrating that heart failure could be caused by
occult means.
Frabato then turned towards the professor, placed
his feet together and propped him up like a rigid wooden marionette. Two
assistants then laid him across two chairs which had been placed
sufficiently far apart so that his body was supported solely by his neck
and heels.
After a blanket had been placed over the professor,
Frabato stepped onto a chair and then onto the professor's abdomen. He
asked his assistants to join him; now there were three people standing on
the professor's motionless body which bore the weight of the three men as
if made of steel.
After the three of them stepped down, the
tension in the audience exploded into applause. At a signal from Frabato,
the assistants brought the professor to his feet again and supported him
with their arms.
The magician now asked for silence and stared
into one of the far corners of the stage. Almost unnoticed by the
audience, the professor's appearance underwent yet another complete
transformation. The mask-like rigidity of his face disappeared; he started
breathing again and his cheeks flushed with color. Frabato faced the
professor, who, after Frabato had focused his gaze upon him for a short
time, began to breathe freely and blink his eyelids.
As though
awakening from a deep sleep, he stretched his limbs and looked at his
surroundings in astonishment, but it was not until he caught sight of
Frabato that he was restored to full consciousness.
Frabato smiled
at him, saying, "Well, professor, I am most certain that you could tell
the audience a very interesting story about your experiences."
As
he was still a bit shaky on his legs, the professor seated himself on a
chair with the help of an assistant. Frabato looked intently at him again
for a few seconds, thus restoring him to the state in which he had first
taken the stage. The professor rose, pushed the chair aside, and shook
Frabato's hand with enthusiasm.
"I was not expecting anything like
that! I shall remember this event until the end of my days. But I am still
completely at a loss as to how you could influence me to such a degree
during your performance."
With a laugh, Frabato answered. "This
ability is the result of many years worth of meditation and training. You
have experienced for yourself how effective it is. But you really should
not keep the audience waiting any longer for your report."
"As I
was attentively listening to Frabato's words," the professor began, "I did
not notice at all that I was under any foreign influence. But suddenly 1
felt that my head was completely empty and that I was unable to move. To
my horror, I saw my body fall to the floor of the stage in front of me.
The feeling of rigidity soon left me and gave way to a sensation of
tranquility, freedom and lightness which I have never experienced before.
I was able to move about the stage freely, connected to my body solely by
a fine silvery thread. In that manner, I was able to witness what Frabato
and his assistants did with my body, and I was extremely relieved when it
survived the experiment without harm. During the experiment, one of the
assistants walked right through me in a very remarkable way, and I noticed
I had no shadow on the stage, despite the fact that I felt like a physical
being. After the assistants had propped my body up again, Frabato looked
at me with his penetrating eyes and I moved towards my body as if
attracted by a powerful magnet. Although I tried to resist this force, my
efforts were in vain and I lost consciousness. When I awoke, I found
myself back in my physical body.
"There is no longer any doubt in
my mind that the human spirit survives the death of the physical body, and
that this spirit moves in the way described by Frabato in his lecture."
Having rendered Frabato his exuberant thanks, the professor
returned to his seat, accompanied by delighted applause. An expectant
silence spread again, and Frabato continued:
"Ladies and
gentlemen, I am very pleased that the professor, as a neutral party, has
confirmed the existence of the human spirit independent of the physical
body. I should like to mention that an individual without any training in
magic will, after his death, be unable to perceive any sensory impressions
from the physical world. I should like to stress that experiments like
these should never be attempted by the layman. For if the operator lacks
complete power over the elements, the harmony of spirit, soul, and body
may remain disturbed and the volunteer end up in a mental institution. Let
this be a warning!
"But now let us turn our attention to further
experiments. Who among you would like to contact a deceased acquaintance
or relative?"
At first, no one was courageous enough to break the
suspense with a response to Frabato's question. Finally, a gentleman
volunteered for the experiment; the audience gave him their relieved
applause. Once on stage, he introduced himself as Mr. Muller and said that
he was the director of a bank. Rather emotionally, he said he wished to
see his deceased sister and learn something of her present fate.
In order to put the man at ease, Frabato asked him to be seated in
a chair on the stage, saying, "Please tell me the name of the deceased and
the date she died."
"Her name was Elisabeth Muller, and she died
on May 16th, 1929, in the local sanatorium."
Frabato asked the
audience if anyone else had known this person, whereupon an elderly woman
in Mr. Muller's row quickly rose and identified herself as the mother of
the deceased. Two men from the same row said that they, too, were
relatives of the deceased, and a woman from the audience said that
Elisabeth Muller had been her friend and schoolmate.
"That is
enough," said Frabato. "I prefer to have a number of people who can
identify the deceased individual upon whom I call. And now I kindly ask
for your attention."
Frabato sat in a corner of the stage so that
he could be seen by everyone. His movements were greeted with a sense of
silent expectation from the audience. A few moments passed; the magician
became pale and rigid. In time his color returned, but his face had
changed so dramatically that it no longer bore any resemblance to that of
Frabato.
The deceased's mother cried out, "Liese!"
Frabato
stood up gracefully. His elegant movements and his transformed features
were those of a young woman. Clearly, he had loaned his own body to the
dead woman's spirit so that she could speak to her brother.
Director Muller, who had recognized his sister's movements and
features, was trembling all over. He shook his head as if unable to
believe his senses, until the familiar soft voice of his sister spoke
through Frabato's body.
"Willi, I never thought I would be able to
speak to you again. How is our family? I know our father has died, for I
am in contact with him often."
Spellbound, the director stared at
Frabato, through whom his deceased sister was actually speaking. "She"
took a chair and sat down near him; they had a short conversation about
private matters, then she asked for a pencil and paper with which to write
a note to Robert, her former fiancé. She gave the note to her brother and
asked him to give her love to all of her relatives. After saying good-bye,
she shook hands with him and then sat down in the corner chair again.
Frabato's body went rigid once more, as at the beginning of the
experiment. After a few seconds the rigidity gave way and Frabato's
familiar features returned.
Frabato now rose and turned to the
teary-eyed bank director who was studying the note in his hand.
"Impossible. And yet possible," he whispered. "And it truly is my
sister's handwriting."
"I hope you are now convinced that your
sister still exists. Or do you doubt that she has just spoken to you
through me?"
"No, I am no longer in doubt," Mr. Muller answered.
"And I thank you from the bottom of my heart for your mediation."
Still bewildered by his miraculous experience, Mr. Muller left the
stage and returned to his seat.
Frabato declared the first part of
the performance at an end and promised a few humorous scenes after
intermission.
Accompanied by applause, Frabato reappeared on stage
after the intermission.
"Ladies and gentlemen," he began, "In my
previous performance I promised to show you a few examples of suggestion
and hypnosis. Unfortunately, the practice of hypnosis is now forbidden by
the police. This is rather untimely, but I have made some preparations to
entertain and amuse you through other means.
"I shall now leave
the hall for approximately half an hour. If two people from the audience
would kindly accompany me to the refreshment room, I will then have
reliable witnesses later on. Enjoy the program!"
A policeman and a
gentleman from the audience volunteered to go with Frabato. The three made
their way to the lounge.
A certain anticipation spread throughout
the hall, and all eyes were focused on the stage; everyone was convinced
that Frabato must have left something interesting behind. And they were
not mistaken, for they suddenly heard his voice come forth over the
loudspeaker.
"Ladies and gentlemen, although I am not in the hall,
my spirit is still with you, for we do not want to interrupt the
performance. Please follow my instructions exactly.
"Look to the
center of the stage without interruption, as though I were there
personally. Those who can do so will be able to envision my person there.
Now I am spreading an invisible fluid over everyone present, which will
bring about complete tranquility and harmony.
"You are so quiet
now that it even makes you tired. Your fatigue is increasing constantly,
as if you had been doing heavy work. With every breath you become more and
more tired. The desire for sleep dominates your thinking altogether. Your
eyelids are closing and you are now in a deep, dreamless sleep. Your sleep
is so deep that nothing can awaken you. No noise can disturb you or awaken
you. You will awaken only when I give the command.
"Those ladies
and gentlemen who have not fallen asleep should now clap their hands
loudly, whistle or shout to try and awaken their sleeping neighbors. But
they will not succeed!"
Many in the audience had fallen into a
deep sleep; the hall became quite noisy as those who were still awake
tried in any number of ways to wake up the sleeping people.
However, this proved to be impossible. A few minutes later,
Frabato's voice was heard again.
"Even if you were shooting off
cannons, you would be unable to awaken the sleeping, for they are in a
state of deep trance and will respond only to my specific orders.
"I am now gathering all you sleepers under my will power. You will
listen only to my words and do precisely as I say. After I count to three,
everyone will awaken. You will feel refreshed and healthy, and you will be
unable to remember what transpired.
"One! Weariness and drowsiness
are fading, contentment and happiness fill your whole being.
"Two!
Your health is strengthened. You feel extremely well and all
unpleasantness has vanished.
"Three! Everyone awake!"
Upon
awakening, all those who had slept looked around in astonishment at the
general merriment in the hall; they could not believe they had been so
fast asleep. But before a detailed explanation could take place, the voice
from the loudspeaker asked ten ladies and ten gentlemen to take seats on
the chairs which had been arranged onstage. They were to sit in pairs, a
gentleman next to a lady. After some minor confusion the volunteers
managed to seat themselves correctly, and Frabato gave further
instructions.
"Ladies and gentlemen on the stage, you will now
listen to music. A waltz will be played for you. You will feel an urge to
dance with one another. Each of the gentlemen on the stage will dance with
the woman on his right. Nothing will disturb you, for there is an
invisible wall between the audience and the stage and you are not able to
see the spectators."
Although no music was heard, some pairs
engaged themselves in a formal dance, spinning round to the rhythm of a
waltz. Other pairs moved more comically, and the audience laughed. But it
did not seem to disturb the dancers in the least. "Stop!" the voice said
from the loudspeaker. "The dance has ended. The ladies and gentlemen on
the stage will be served some refreshments before saying goodbye to one
another. There is a basket with apples, pears and peaches at the edge of
the stage and you may serve yourselves. You will wake up immediately after
the first bite without having swallowed anything, and you will return to
your seats in the hall with a feeling of happiness. Please come for me and
my escorts in the refreshment room now."
The hypnotized people on
the stage reached out for the putative fruit. But as soon as they had
taken a bite, they awoke and, with sour expressions on their faces, began
to grumble. "Damn, this is not a peach at all. It is an onion!" one of the
afflicted said with tears in his eyes. Someone else said, "Yuck! This is a
raw potato!" The surprises continued.
After the last person had
left the stage, a spectator went to the refreshment room to bring back
Frabato and his escorts.
Greeted by applause, Frabato stepped onto
the stage and addressed the audience with a smile. "I can tell from your
faces that you have enjoyed yourselves. I am pleased that you have liked
this part of the performance too, although I myself was not present in the
hall. I am deeply indebted to my two excellent witnesses. This is the end
of today's program. All of you are invited to my next performance, which
will take place the day after tomorrow. Good night to you all."
As
the curtain slowly fell, Frabato went to his dressing room. He had just
changed his clothes when two gentlemen entered unannounced.
"You
are Frabato, are you not?" one of the men asked.
When Frabato
nodded, the man produced his identification. "Criminal Police. You are
under arrest. Please, come along with us."
A waiting car took them
to the police station where Frabato was taken into custody.
On the
following day, the newspapers featured a detailed report of Frabato's
sensational experiments and his arrest by the police. Early the same
morning Frabato was taken to the chief of police, who was clearly annoyed
and launched an immediate verbal attack upon him.
"You have
violated the new law and continued to experiment with hypnosis. Witnesses
report that more than a hundred people were hypnotized. You will have to
pay dearly for this. And it will not go easy for you in court."
The chief was furious, pacing up and down the room nervously.
"This is so shameful," he exploded again. "Did you have to do it
here, of all places? What kind of a public image do I have now?"
Frabato sat without saying a word and allowed the chief of police
to vent his frustration; he only began to speak when he saw the other
man's anger subsiding.
"You have certainly been given false
information, for I did not hypnotize anyone yesterday," Frabato replied.
"One of your own officers can bear witness to the fact that I was in the
refreshment room at the time in question. The audience spent half an hour
with my phonograph records, it is true, but I can scarcely be held
responsible for that: after all, there was nothing to prevent your
officers from turning off the record player. Since I was not present in
the hall personally, I do not feel the least bit guilty."
The
chief looked at Frabato suspiciously, then called for the officer who had
accompanied Frabato to the refreshment room. He confirmed Frabato's
account. The chief was satisfied and shook hands with Frabato, saying:
"You should have become a diplomat instead of a magician. You certainly
have a knack for looking at matters from a different perspective. You are
free to go, and I apologize for the zeal of my people." Frabato said
goodbye and went back to his hotel at once. He needed a good rest, for his
night in jail had not been especially comfortable.
The next day
the newspapers reported Frabato's release, together with the announcement
that his next performance would take place that evening as scheduled.
Chapter
VI
The Grand Master of the F.O.G.C. Lodge was the owner of a
very beautiful villa in the city's most elegant district, exquisitely
furnished and surrounded by a well-tended garden. He was highly regarded
in business circles, a great man in his profession with an enormous
financial income.
But today he sat gloomily behind his desk at
home, playing distractedly with a golden fountain pen. He was in the grips
of an unrest which could not be soothed even by his harmonious
surroundings.
He got up and began pacing the room thoughtfully.
His servants were under strict orders not to disturb him or admit any
visitors.
For the first time in many years, the chain of his
success had been broken. Until now, all his plans had been carried out
successfully, but Frabato was a difficult matter which weighed heavily on
his soul. He felt somehow that there was a much greater power behind this
mysterious man than that which lay behind his own lodge, whose members
were only able to realize their plans with the assistance of negative
forces.
A man more powerful than he! The idea fed the Grand
Master's inexorable hatred, incessantly driving him to seek to persecute
and harm Frabato by whatever means. And though it was difficult for him,
he had to admit that Frabato had foiled all his attacks. No one had ever
violated the laws of the lodge, been punished for it, and escaped to tell
the tale. And all those who had been sentenced to death by the tepaphone
had, until now, been destroyed.
Every person has a weak point
where he can be easily wounded. The Grand Master had been looking in vain
for a weakness in Frabato; his failure to discover one overwhelmed him
with hatred and rage. He had already been informed that the police action
against Frabato for breach of the prohibition on hypnosis had been
ineffective. This new failure heightened his ill-temper; thoughts of
revenge flashed through his mind. Under ordinary circumstances he was a
master of self-control, but now his face mirrored just how badly his
nerves had suffered from recent events. Even the ticking of his exquisite
clock provoked his uneasiness, mixed with a feeling of fear and horror
that he had never experienced before.
The Grand Master had been
nourishing his dark thoughts for a long time when he came up with what he
thought was a good idea. He sat down at his desk and wrote a letter to a
government official who was also a member of the F.O.G.C.
Dear
brother and supporter:
As you know, Frabato has thwarted many of
our plans. We have tried in vain to make him a member of our lodge and to
convince him of our goodwill. Because of his magical abilities, he has
been able to discover all our lodge's secrets. He not only knows our
initiation rites, but is also well versed in our most secret plans. These
facts clearly show that this man remains a permanent danger to our lodge.
As you also know, we have not yet been able to eliminate him. Even
the tepaphone failed, and our allied King of Demons has been unable to
guarantee success. With his magical abilities, this Frabato naturally has
access to the most secret plans of the government and the military as
well. If a hostile government were to succeed in employing him as a spy,
immeasurable damage could be done to you, dear brother, as well as to the
entire nation. As my own means are now exhausted.
I here request
your assistance in annihilating this dangerous man. The brotherhood is
greatly interested in settling this matter and I hope that you will not
disappoint me.
I look forward to consulting with you personally
and remain:
Yours faithfully,
The Grand Master placed the
letter in an envelope, pressed the lodge's insignia into the sealing wax,
then called his servant and ordered him to take the letter to the post
office at once.
Now his countenance reflected delight, and he
rubbed his hands together in satisfaction. He was convinced that this plan
could be carried out successfully, for political dissidents were dealt
with quickly in those days. The secret police would see to the matter. The
recent events had strongly affected the Grand Master's health. He had lost
a lot of weight and his hands trembled. His unresolved problems had placed
him in a constant state of agitation, and he felt that he had aged.
Quite involuntarily, he stepped in front of a large mirror. As he
thoughtlessly studied his reflection, he noticed, with increasing terror,
that a phosphorescent glow had suddenly appeared between his eyebrows.
With wide eyes he stared at his own trembling image, for he was fully
aware of the meaning of this sign. It was known to the lodge as the sign
of death.
Paralyzed with shock, the Grand Master was unable to
avert his eyes from the flame which gradually became bigger, eventually
covering the entire surface of the mirror. Behind the flame a grotesque
face with penetrating eyes slowly appeared, and an inner voice spoke as if
from the depths of a grave:
"Brother, your last hour is near!"
The Grand Master was now perspiring profusely, and he felt
surrounded by an icy coldness.
Slowly, the demon's face faded away
and the flame dwindled, the mirror finally reflecting only the ash-gray
face of the black magician.
Although he still felt paralyzed, he
managed to tear himself away from his image in the mirror, fall into a
chair, and stay there for some time, quite motionless. He cradled his head
in his hands despairingly.
"This damned Frabato," he murmured. "I
must not think of him anymore or else I shall go mad!"
The Grand
Master energetically chased away his negative thoughts, lit a cigar and
walked up and down his study, trying to calm himself. It occurred to him
that he had yet more aggravation in store today. The astrological position
of the Sun reminded him, however, that he would soon have to set forth,
for it was the twenty-third of June, the day of the lodge's general
meeting. It was important that he, as the president, should appear calm
and collected in order to set an example for the other brethren.
He ordered his servant to prepare his supper. At the end of the
meal he drank a cup of strong coffee, changed his clothes and ordered his
driver to take him to the lodge buildings.
The twenty-third of
June is a special day of the year for people all over the world; it is
then that the sun reaches its highest point, the longest day and shortest
night of the year.
To celebrate the summer solstice, many European
peoples have traditionally lit a great bonfire. The Brothers of Light,
especially those of the lower degrees, carry out the socalled St. John's
evocations on this particular night. During this rite, as many as three
wishes may be sent into the invisible astral world. These wishes are then
fulfilled during the coming year, as long as they do not violate the laws
of karma. This ritual of the St. John's Mystery is a strictly kept secret
among the Brothers of the Light.
Although the twenty-third of June
was also a special day for the F.O.G.C. Lodge, it was by no means a happy
one for them. Quite the contrary: it was a fatal day, for one of the
lodge's brethren must sacrifice his life to the demon he served. All
members, regardless of rank or grade, were subject to this law.
The lodge has ninety-nine members. The hundredth member is the
demon who presides over the lodge and who, in turn, delegates a
subordinate demon to each lodge member for the realization of that
member's wishes. Each demon has its own special name and sign of
invocation known only to the lodge brother it serves. The demon's name and
sign are never entrusted to anyone else; the penalty for breaking silence
is death.
The sacrificial victim is chosen by lot. A new member is
then admitted to replace the victim and the demon of his predecessor is
normally allotted to him. With ill luck, a new member might be put to
death in his very first year.
It was not surprising that the lodge
members, by virtue of this exchange, were enabled to pursue solid material
goals and were wealthy and influential people. Someone from the lower or
poorer classes was only admitted to the membership if he possessed special
talents and abilities that could serve the purposes of the lodge. Large
sums of money were immediately placed at the disposal of such a member,
until, with the help of his demon, he had learned to stand on his own
feet.
The summer weather was marvelous on this particular June
23rd. The warm, still air of the day lingered over the countryside, but
fear hovered like an invisible cloud in the minds of the F.O.G.C,
brethren. Only at this time every year did they choose to remember that
sacrifice hung like Damocles' sword over their heads.
The great
hall of the lodge house was ceremoniously illuminated. There were
ninetyeight numbered chairs standing on a small platform facing the Grand
Master's place. Each member of the lodge had received a number and had to
take his seat accordingly. No one was permitted to be absent from this
most important meeting of the year. Each brother was expected to arrange
his private affairs in such a way as to allow him to be present that
evening.
Although the meeting was to commence at 8:00 P.M., most
of the members had already gathered by 7:30 and were talking animatedly to
one another in small groups. As the minute hand of the clock moved
inexorably towards the appointed hour, the lodge brethren took their seats
on the numbered chairs. The Vice President, who was also the Secretary,
had already taken his seat.
Precisely at eight o'clock, the Grand
Master entered the hall. Everyone rose silently to greet their superior.
The Grand Master, still in shock due to the events of the afternoon,
gathered his strength and opened the meeting by striking a large gong
three times with a special mallet, its sound resonating throughout the
hall. Then he addressed the brethren:
"My dear brothers, I thank
you for your welcome and ask that you be seated. I am very pleased that
you have all come. As you know, today is an historic and traditional day
for our lodge, for one of our members must leave us and another must be
admitted. Only after we have drawn lots will we know who is to go. I
realize that you are anticipating the balloting with dread; however, you
were told during your admission to the lodge that the procedure is written
in our regulations and is compulsory.
"Our order has existed for
many centuries and is represented throughout the world with the same laws.
Ninety-nine is a holy number for us and has a special meaning, for there
are ninety-nine of our lodges in the world and each of these lodges again
has exactly ninety-nine members. All these lodges adhere to the same laws
as we do. The Master of Darkness, our god, whom we honor and worship, has
provided each lodge with a demonic entity of high rank. This presiding
entity is obliged to provide a demon servant for each lodge brother. Since
the Grand Master of each lodge is to carry the greatest responsibility,
the presiding entity is assigned to him.
"On this historic day I
should like to remind each of you of the enormous advantages you have
obtained by becoming members of our lodge. I am certain that not one of
you can name an Order in which riches and power can be gained more
quickly. Who can destroy his enemies quicker than we? Who is better
protected against all of life's dangers than our own brethren? No one!
These advantages can only be achieved with the support of the spiritual
forces of whom I have just spoken. We have all chosen these advantages for
ourselves and, in return, we are required to support evil and fight
against good wherever possible. Surely none of you have ever found this to
be terribly difficult. The greatest risk in all of this is the present
evening's event - but your chances of remaining in the lodge are great.
"Nonetheless, I am fully convinced, my dear brothers, that none of
you has ever regretted taking this step, that each of you is financially
affluent, and that you have been able to realize your goals with the
assistance of your spiritual servant."
The Grand Master
interrupted his speech to observe the effect of his words on the other
brethren. Many expressed their satisfaction with a slight nod.
The
Grand Master drank some water and was about to continue praising the
advantages of the lodge when he suddenly remembered his unsuccessful
battle against Frabato. Rage consumed him and, controlling himself with
great effort, he continued:
"Fellow members, as you know, a
powerful enemy has been trying to oppose our lodge's aims. It is the
magician Frabato. Unfortunately, our attacks against him have thus far
been unsuccessful, and he has even been able to defend himself against the
tepaphone. I therefore encourage you to remain united in this matter. This
man can be dangerous to all of us, and we must adhere to the slogan: 'All
for one and one for all!'"
The Grand Master was almost in a state
of ecstasy now, but many of the members remained reserved, not wishing to
interfere in his personal vendetta. Others felt shivers run down their
spines; there was fear in their faces. It became clear to many that here
was a man whose might was greater than that of the lodge. Who had ever
resisted the tepaphone, the instrument which could bring death to anyone,
no matter where on earth he might be? The Grand Master must have a special
reason to deal with this matter personally, or even to discuss his
difficulties with the brotherhood. The thought of such a powerful enemy
caused extreme uneasiness among the brethren. This was all clear to the
Grand Master when he cried out with triumphant and scornful laughter:
"As I can see, many of you have become terribly frightened at the
mere mention of Frabato's name. It should not remain a secret to you that
this man has caused me many distressing hours.
"But our lodge has
many ways to annihilate such an enemy; you all know that the Master of
Darkness is at my side whenever I have need of his assistance and advice.
You may therefore rest assured, my dear brothers, that, thanks to my
advantageous connections, I have been able to cast suspicion on Frabato on
political grounds. I do know, of course, that he is in no way politically
engaged, but in spite of this it will take no longer than a week before he
is incarcerated. From there it is only one short step to his death, for
with the right amount of money it is easy to find people who will aid in
such a task. At any rate, I can promise you that soon Frabato will no
longer be among the living!"
The Grand Master's last words caused
a sigh of relief, for Frabato was already a nightmare to many of the lodge
members. The Grand Master realized with satisfaction that the unity of the
lodge had been restored. Relieved, he gave the chair to the Secretary and
sat down.
The Secretary thanked the Grand Master for his speech,
then addressed the assembly:
"My dear brothers, as you know, today
you are to submit your reports, written in secret code and covering the
work accomplished during the past year with the help of your demon
servant. This allows us a certain amount of control in examining whether
the conditions of our contract with the demonic powers have been met.
Those of you who have had specific problems or difficulties with your
spirit servants may discuss the matter with the Grand Master after
tonight's meeting. He will then clear the matter with the relevant
spiritual entity. Now, my dear brothers, I ask you to give me your
reports, and I remind you once again that your report must be marked with
your allotted number." Two of the members were asked to gather the papers
and submit them to the Secretary, who counted and examined them carefully.
There was a richly ornamented cabinet behind the Grand Master's
chair and, moving slowly (as if wanting to stop time), the Secretary
locked the reports in the drawer, opened another drawer, removed a wooden
chest and set it on the table next to the cabinet. Then, quite serious, he
faced the assembly and opened the fateful box. It contained ninety-nine
small envelopes. Concealed therein were the members' numbers, which would
determine the fate of one of them. An oppressive silence took hold of the
assembly, for this was the darkest and most terrible hour of the year for
each and every one of them.
The Secretary now obtained a drum from
an adjacent room. This was mounted on a frame which enabled it to be
turned round its axle by a handle. It was placed in the center of the hall
by the Secretary, who then opened a small door on its side. After setting
Brother Silesius' number aside, he solemnly dropped one envelope after the
other into the drum under the watchful eyes of the brethren. When he was
finished, he closed the door to the drum.
One of the lodge
brethren escorted the caretaker's daughter into the room. Elli knew what
she had to do, for she had performed this same service on St. John's Eve
for many years. She knew absolutely nothing of the true seriousness of the
hour; she had always been satisfied with the explanation that a member was
to be chosen for a "special mission." The generous sum of money she
received for this small task quelled any further curiosity - and she knew
quite well that too much curiosity on her part could result in her father
losing his position.
The Secretary blindfolded the young lady and
led her carefully to the drum. Then he took the handle and spun the drum,
ten turns to the left and ten to the right. Then he opened the lid, led
Elli's hand above it, and asked her to pull out an envelope. Without
hesitation, Elli extracted an envelope which the Secretary took from her
and laid on the table for everyone to see.
Forcing himself to
remain calm, the Secretary removed the blindfold from Elli's eyes, gave
her her customary gratuity and accompanied her out of the building with a
few friendly words. He then returned to the hall, where the brethren were
waiting for him with pale faces. He reached for the fateful envelope and
pulled out the number. In a loud and trembling voice he said: "It is
Number One, the number of our Grand Master!"
The tension was
released, though with varied reactions. Some members began, with
excitation, to discuss the result, while others simply remained silent,
chins propped on their hands.
The Grand Master, who had been
standing, carefully observing the entire procedure, fell into his chair,
deathly pale. Muttering unintelligibly, he stared at the ceiling. A
demon's grimace took shape before his inner vision. A death sweat poured
from his forehead and he called out in despair, "Frabato!"
The
Grand Master's reaction filled the special gathering with an uncanny
horror, for never before had anyone faced his death in such a cowardly
manner. Although all the sacrificial victims had been hit hard by their
fate, they had made a great effort to retain, at least externally, some
degree of composure. In contrast, the Grand Master, who should have been
an example for the whole lodge, was a pitiful sight. It took some time
before he could regain his self-control.
Finally, his facial
muscles twitching visibly, he addressed the assembly in a broken voice:
"My dear brothers, as you all know, I have recently been
struggling with the case of Frabato. I have attempted to annihilate him in
several ways but have not yet succeeded. As I have told you, he even
survived the tepaphone, our most powerful weapon. It may be concluded from
this that Frabato is allied with powerful forces. Because I am Frabato's
greatest enemy, there is no doubt in my mind that he influenced this draw
with his magical powers and arranged matters so that my number would be
drawn. Many of you were present at his public demonstrations, where he
proved his influence over people, and his ability to make them compliant
to his will from any distance." The Grand Master stopped and looked around
expectantly. Many approved by nodding their heads, for they had witnessed
the demonstrations. When the Grand Master noticed that these individuals
seemed sympathetic towards him, he was encouraged to go on, saying: "My
dear brothers, please consider that I am the only one among you who has
unremittingly tried to annihilate this enemy. Therefore, I declare that he
has influenced Elli to draw my number from the drum. For this reason I
cannot acknowledge the draw!"
With these words, a subdued grumble
spread through the hall, for everyone would willingly have foregone
another draw. The lodge brethren knew that cowardice and mortal fear had
driven their Grand Master to take this step; however, it was impossible to
contradict him openly, for it was laid down in the lodge's laws that the
Grand Master could twice demand another draw if he so wished. This was
something that rarely ever happened and, in all ninety-nine lodges
combined, had only occurred twice during the last two centuries.
Having been marked as a candidate for death, the Grand Master was
required to forfeit his right to govern the lodge. According to
regulations, the Secretary would be promoted to the position of Grand
Master and President. But the old Grand Master could at least cling to the
hope that he might evade his ultimate fate. The Secretary addressed the
members:
"My dear brothers, to our regret, it is our esteemed
Grand Master who has been chosen by this draw. He has been leading our
lodge conscientiously for many years and has gained our respect and, as
you know, he has the right to request two additional draws. His argument
that Frabato has used his magical powers to transmit the death sentence to
him is quite understandable. I suggest that certain precautions be taken
for the second draw, for we have forces at our disposal which are able to
eliminate any interferences from Frabato. It is stated in our regulations
that each member may turn the drum three times before the next draw. Let
all in favor raise their hands."
All raised their right hands -
even the Grand Master, marked for death. And yet the second draw weighed
heavily on the souls of the brethren, for if the Grand Master were
correct, then any one of them could be condemned this time around.
"The proposal has been unanimously accepted," the Secretary
continued. "I thank you for the understanding you have shown towards our
Grand Master. Our next step is to determine whether Frabato is exercising
any influence on our lodge at this moment. We will confirm this with the
help of our medium. Brother H., please go once more for the care taker's
daughter."
Brother H. left the hall and returned with the girl a
short time later. The Secretary, who was not only a trained black magician
but a skillful diplomat, welcomed her, saying:
"Dear Elli, I must
apologize for disturbing you at this late hour, but we urgently need your
assistance again. Some problems have arisen which we want to settle with
your help. We shall compensate your trouble with a double fee."
Although she was well acquainted with the surroundings, it seemed
to her that a particularly sinister mood lay over the hall. In spite of
this, she answered in her natural way:
"I do not mind the late
hour. For that much money I will be very pleased to help you."
A
sofa had been placed in the middle of the hall, and Elli, accustomed to
the procedure, willingly lay down upon it. Twenty-one of the brethren
formed a circle around her, and the Secretary placed her into a deep
hypnotic sleep. Then he evoked within her a state of clairvoyance and gave
her the following order: "Make a visit to Frabato in the spirit, and tell
me what he is doing."
After a short hesitation, Elli briefly
reported that Frabato was onstage, carrying out his usual demonstrations.
When asked whether he were exercising any influence over her, she
decisively said no. The excitement in the hall increased considerably, for
everyone began to feel that the Grand Master's previous assertions had
been contradicted. The Secretary requested silence. The Grand Master sat
in his chair looking pale, knowing full well that this wave of unrest was
directed towards him. Suddenly he jumped up and cried into the hall:
"Frabato is influencing you all! And if he is not doing it
himself, then he is sending his beings. He has thousands of them at his
disposal!"
The charge that Frabato had thousands of spirit beings
- whereas each member of the F.O.G.C. Lodge had only a single servant
spirit - not only surprised those present, but greatly increased the
anxiety in the hall.
The Grand Master realized his mistake
immediately - instead of humiliating Frabato, he had humiliated himself
and his own lodge.
Exhausted, he rested his head in his hands,
murmuring in despair, "I am at the breaking point! I cannot go on any
longer."
The Secretary loudly and energetically demanded silence
and succeeded in calming the assembly. The twenty-one brethren still
formed a circle round the sleeping girl, whom the Secretary once again
addressed with a penetrating voice:
"When you wake up you will be
free from any influences. No power in the world will be able to influence
you, neither consciously nor unconsciously. No outside entity will be able
to influence you. You will do everything of your own will."
Silently, he called four dark princes of the elements into the
corners of the hall to assist in giving further protection against any
magical influence. Visible only to the spiritual eye, these negative
elemental princes guarded the progress of the ceremony. The formulas for
their invocation were known only to the Grand Master and the Secretary.
After having completed the invocation, the Secretary assured the
brethren of complete protection against any outside interference, and
affirmed that only the highest divine providence would be able to exercise
any influence.
The Grand Master's number was put into a new
envelope and placed in the drum. The brothers who had formed the ring
mentally repeated the necessary formula which rendered the magic circle
effective.
The Secretary awakened the medium with the appropriate
words; she stared with astonished into the bewildered faces surrounding
her. Regaining her faculties, Elli thought that something unusual must
have taken place during her sleep.
The Secretary carefully
blindfolded her and led her to the drum, asking her to draw forth another
envelope. Elli calmly reached inside and pulled one out.
A deathly
silence reigned as everyone stared at the envelope. The Secretary took it
and laid it on the table. Then he removed Elli's blindfold and quickly led
her out of the hall. He asked her to wait for a quarter of an hour in an
adjacent room, telling her that her help might be needed again.
Returning to the hall directly, he opened the fateful envelope
with trembling hands and pulled out the number.
Again it was the
number one.
A tortured moan escaped the Grand Master's chest; now,
he felt, he was irretrievably lost. The other brethren heaved a sigh of
relief; all their doubts disappeared, for the death sentence had found its
mark. Nevertheless, the events of the evening caused a stir of conscience
among some of them.
Full of expectation, the assembly directed its
attention towards the Grand Master, who must now accept his sentence. At
last he collected himself, but only enough to shout in mortal fear:
"Impossible! Impossible! I do not believe in this judgment.
Something is going on here against me personally, to destroy me! Even if
Frabato has not done this himself, there are forces at his disposal which
are responsible for the whole thing. I claim my right to a third draw.
Only then will I admit my defeat!"
A third draw had to be ratified
by a majority vote. The Secretary rose to speak. "It is the right of the
condemned to demand a third draw. The third draw may be prevented if the
required simple majority of votes is not present. Remember, to reject the
Grand Master's right to such a draw wilt cast serious doubt on the
validity of the process and even upon the statutes of the lodge. All those
who approve of a third draw, please raise your hands."
The
dramatic events of the evening had deeply disturbed the souls of many;
they were torn between the fear of losing their own lives and the hope
that the verdict would be confirmed yet a third time. After a few minutes,
however, sixty members voted "yes" to a new draw. Fate could take its
course.
During the preparations for the third draw, the Grand
Master jumped to his feet and cried out wildly:
"This time I will
draw the lot myself, for neither Frabato nor any other force in the world
can influence me!" the Grand Master with the same cloth which had earlier
been used for the medium. Again, breathless silence filled the hall. The
Grand Master rummaged frantically among the envelopes. He seized one and
pulled it forth. Before the Secretary was able to help him, he had torn
the black bandage from his eyes and thrown it to the floor. With trembling
hands, he opened the envelope and pulled out the number.
It was
the number one.
He stared at it as if hypnotized; again the
distorted demon face rose in front of him and scornful laughter filled his
ears. He sank to the floor, unconscious.
They took the Grand
Master into an adjacent room without further ado and made him rest on a
sofa. His position as Grand Master and President of the lodge was
irrevocably lost; now he was nothing but a candidate for death. In one of
the next meetings, the Secretary would officially be appointed Grand
Master of the lodge and the most astute among the other brethren would
become the new Secretary.
The dramatic and tragic events of the
past few hours left a deep impression on them all, one which they would
remember as long as they lived. Although some had been in the lodge for
many years, nothing like this evening's experience had ever occurred
before.
The new Grand Master called a half-hour intermission. The
hall emptied. There were many who needed some fresh air, and small groups
gathered in the park to discuss the evening's events. Others tried to
compose themselves in the lounge.
In ancient times, people were
sacrificed to the gods. The same practice is alive and well in the
F.O.G.C. Lodge, though their rituals have been brought into line with the
present day. The laws of the lodge assert that one member must be
sacrificed to the presiding demon each year. The drawing of the fatal lot
has no bearing on whether a member has just joined the lodge or whether he
has been there for many years.
After these words were spoken, the
Secretary hurried out to pay Elli and send her home, informing her that
her services were no longer required. Returning to the hall, he went
straight to the drum and prepared it for the last time.
This time
the procedure moved somewhat more rapidly, for the members gave their
three turns to the drum hurriedly, anxious to be finished. After the
turning of the drum, the Secretary blindfolded. The gong sounded, calling
the brethren back to the hall. After everyone was seated, the new
president rose and addressed the assembly, saying:
"My dear
brethren, tonight we have completed the ceremony for choosing the victim
who will be sacrificed to the lord of our lodge. This time it is a person
whom we have all respected. Our lodge suffers a great loss with the Grand
Master's departure. In spite of this, I believe that we can all go home
this evening with the conviction that fraud is impossible when it comes to
drawing lots for our annual sacrifice. Even though the activities of our
lodge may rest on deception and lies, there is no cheating possible with
this!
"Tonight's draw has shown that the laws of the lodge are
supervised by the high forces of pitiless fate. Who would not have tried
to save his own life, even as the Grand Master has done? The merits of our
former Grand Master shall not be diminished by his behavior, and his name
will remain with those of the most honorable members in the history of our
lodge.
"In accordance with the lodge's statutes, any member
leaving the lodge must be replaced by a new member. The replacement for
Brother Silesius will be inducted tonight, and we shall fill my former
position as Secretary at our next meeting. Brother F. has recommended one
of his friends and has assured us that he vouches for the candidate's
loyalty and discretion with his own life. Brother F., please bring in your
friend."
A member of the circle left the hall and returned a few
minutes later with a young man. The new Grand Master shook hands with him
and welcomed him on behalf of the lodge. He apologized for the long wait
by saying that unforeseen complications had arisen regarding certain
rituals. The stranger had already agreed to the conditions for admission,
therefore it was merely a matter of swearing him in and giving him a name
and a number. The new member was given the number 2 and the lodge name
"C."
With serious oaths, C. swore to abide by the lodge's
statutes, and a demonic entity was assigned to him for the realization of
his wishes. He was instructed in the ways and means of dealing with this
being, and how he was to keep a journal of his activities. A formula was
disclosed to him which could be used in combat telepathy and black magic.
He was also informed of the lodge names of the other brethren, though not
of their civil names. Only lodge names were used within the lodge.
When the initiation ceremony for the new member had ended, the new
Grand Master officially closed the session. It was already past midnight;
therefore the circle dissolved quickly, leaving only the, new Grand Master
behind to complete the lodge report. Upon finishing his work, he went to
the room where the former president and Grand Master had been taken after
his sentencing. Surprisingly enough, he was still lying on the sofa, half
unconscious and unable to leave without assistance.
Since the new
Grand Master was a member of the medical profession, he solved the problem
in his own way. He quickly went for his bag of medical equipment and gave
the condemned man a strong injection to stimulate the circulation of the
blood. This got him to his feet within a few minutes. The Grand Master
accompanied the despondent victim to his car. The driver was startled at
the arrival of the two men, for he had fallen asleep during the long wait.
He hastily opened the door for his master, the two lodge members quickly
said goodbye to each other, and the former Grand Master let himself fall
heavily back into the cushions. Then the door was closed and the car drove
off into the night.
Pensively, the new Grand Master followed the
car with his eyes. At last he turned back to the lodge buildings,
carefully closed and locked all the doors and went home. After an hour's
journey, the deposed Grand Master of the F.O.G.C. Lodge arrived at his
villa. The driver helped his employer into the house, taking his arm
because he appeared sick and apathetic. The driver asked if there were any
further orders, but was answered with a dismissive wave of the hand. The
servant then disappeared quickly and silently.
Weakly, the Grand
Master stumbled to his study and wearily stretched out on the sofa. Unable
even to think of sleep, he stared constantly at the ceiling with
expressionless eyes. Like a film, the most important events of his life
passed through his mind: pictures of defamation, fraud, lies and murder.
Remorse had been foreign to him for a long time. Even his uncertain future
as a servant of the demons was not enough to bend his thoughts in a
positive direction. Instead, rage and hatred for every kind of positive
force held him captive, giving him a satisfaction possible only to a black
magician.
The curses with which he had burdened himself, solely to
acquire earthly goods! Now he had to leave everything behind, for he knew
the spiritual laws, and that there was no salvation in this situation:
there was no chance of escaping the demons.
Absent-mindedly he got
up, poured some wine into a glass, and took a small packet of powder from
a cabinet. He poured a little powder into the wine and lifted the glass to
his lips with trembling hands, tying to shut out the scornful laughter
which seemed to fill the entire room. Dizziness took hold of him, and with
one swallow he emptied the glass. A burning sensation made him leap up for
a moment, and he stood there spellbound, gazing onto the distance. Then
the glass slipped from his hand and shattered. He staggered and sank
lifeless to the floor as the poison did its work.
Thus ended the
life of the black magician S., executed by his own hand.
Chapter
VII
It had been another exciting evening. The audience had
witnessed mysterious and magical demonstrations, and afterwards Frabato
had spent more than two hours answering questions from reporters and other
interested persons. Now he was glad that the excitement was over and that
he was finally able to return to his hotel. It was already midnight by the
time he entered his room. Soon he was lying in bed, tired and worn out,
trying to catch a longed-for rest.
Oddly enough, despite his
fatigue he could not fall asleep. He changed position several times
without success. He had just made another attempt to relax himself by
deliberately silencing his thoughts when he suddenly felt a strange force
in the room. A gray cloud intensified in the middle of the floor, becoming
brighter and brighter at the center and emitting countless sparks of
light. These scintilla of light set circles moving round the room in all
the colors of the rainbow, interwoven like the colors in a kaleidoscope.
A rustling was heard as the light in the cloud condensed more and
more. Frabato, initiated in every possible magical practice, at once
focused his clairvoyant vision upon the apparition and recognized that a
highly evolved being from the zone girdling the earth, one already well
known to him, was announcing his visit.
Frabato surmised that the
visit must be an important one; why else would such an entity appear,
uncalled for, at this time of night? The entity was condensing on its own
power, whereas normally such a materialization only took place through a
great expenditure of energy on the part of the person concerned. Before
Frabato's eyes, the cloud of light formed into the shape of a spiritual
being. The entity directed his brilliant gaze towards Frabato, addressing
him with serious intent:
"Frabato, you are in danger! You must
leave this country before noon tomorrow. Through lies and defamation your
enemies have managed to have you accused of treason. This political
suspicion is a threat to your life; therefore act quickly! A warrant for
your arrest has already been issued. Escape is your only option; an open
conflict with the fanatic ideology which rules this land would be
altogether senseless. Leave all your belongings behind. Hurry to escape! I
warn you!"
The last words were spoken as if from afar. The being
dissolved into a light mist which, in turn, slowly dissipated. The room
became dark again, and only a pleasant fragrance lingering in the quiet
reminded him of the strange visit.
Frabato was fully awake now. He
knew this particular intelligence well and had no doubt that its words of
warning were based upon something quite real. Before planning his escape,
he remembered to surround himself completely with the Akasha, so that his
thoughts and plans would remain invisible to the spiritual world.
Otherwise his enemies might have been able to learn of his plans with the
help of certain entities or a trance medium. The secret of complete
isolation and the ability to obliterate anything imprinted in the Akasha
was an art unknown to his enemies. Only a few people on earth, who, like
Frabato, belonged to the Brothers of Light, knew these secrets and their
practical application.
Frabato worked out a plan of escape. He
found it difficult to leave behind everything he had established here, but
the situation demanded that all his earthly possessions and advantages be
abandoned in order that he might simply escape with his life. He knew he
had to take precautions, for he knew his enemies' methods. He had to be
more skillful than they, and he had to act before it was too late.
It was nearly dawn when he finally finished his plan. In order to
rest until it was time to go, he performed a set of special meditations
which would help make up for his lost sleep.
Frabato rose at seven
o'clock and washed with cold water in order to appear refreshed and
rested. As he was dressing, he looked as if he had slept well all night.
He carefully distributed his money and documents in his suit pockets.
Shortly afterwards, he was on his way to the hotel restaurant for
breakfast.
He sat down at an empty table and placed his order. He
had planned to visit the hotel manager in his office but was spared the
effort, for the manager, as if directed by a good fate, entered the
breakfast room. Frabato beckoned to him and invited him to sit at his
table. The manager, who was a friendly and obliging gentleman, gladly
shook his hand and welcomed him:
"Good morning, sir. Have you
slept well? Is there anything I can do for you? I hope you have a pleasant
stay."
Frabato remained quiet while the manager sat down opposite
him, then said, "I am very pleased with your hospitality, food, and staff.
You can be sure that I will recommend your hotel wherever the occasion may
arise. As you know, I intend to stay with you for another fortnight and I
would kindly ask you to take some money in advance so that I am not too
much indebted to you."
He reached into his breast pocket and gave
the manager the money. The manager made a gesture to indicate that there
was no need for pre-payment, but Frabato persuaded him to accept it
anyway. Shortly afterwards, the manager brought him a receipt from the
office.
He was used to peculiar habits on the part of his guests;
therefore he suspected nothing. Nor was he displeased with the
arrangement, for of course some guests left without paying anything at
all. Apart from that, he was honored by the continued presence of Frabato,
who, in a very short time, had become quite a celebrity.
Taking
the receipt, Frabato said, "You know I am always beset by reporters and
other interested people. I have an appointment with a friend of mine, and
I am going to the cafe near the city tower. I will be back in about two
hours. Should anyone want to see me in the meantime, please tell him I
will be returning."
The manager had no reason to be suspicious,
and assured Frabato that he could be relied upon. Frabato took his leave
and, shortly afterwards, disappeared into the big-city traffic.
Dressed in only a suit, without a coat or hat, Frabato strolled
down the narrow street before finally walking towards a familiar taxi
stand. There were a few taxis waiting there; the drivers, engaged in
animated conversation, were smoking. Frabato called out his destination,
one of the drivers offered his services, and off they went. After about
three kilometers they reached their destination. Frabato paid the fare and
mingled with the pedestrians again.
Frabato knew of another taxi
stand nearby, and made his way there. There was only one taxi available,
and Frabato ordered the driver to take him to the train station, where he
disappeared. From there he spent a few moments carefully observing the
taxis parked outside, though without noticing anyone suspicious. He then
chose a private taxi, a big car with a six-cylinder engine. Sitting down
in the back, he pulled a hundred-mark note from his pocket and gave it to
the driver, saying:
"I have to get to the border quickly. I have
just received a telegram that my father is dying, and I need to get home
as soon as possible. I will pay you double for every kilometer you can go
faster than the speed limit."
His passenger's stern face, together
with the hundred-mark banknote, convinced the driver at once. In no time
they were racing towards the border. The driver never suspected that this
was an escape.
While Frabato was hurrying towards the border, two
gentlemen entered his hotel in Dresden and inquired for him at the
reception desk. They were informed that Frabato would be back at about
10:30 A.M.
The two gentlemen did not take seats in the restaurant;
instead, they walked up and down in front of the hotel until the moment
had passed when Frabato was expected to return.
Then the two
visitors began to get impatient. They went to see the manager and pulled
out their identity cards, saying, "Criminal Police Department! Can you
tell us the whereabouts of Frabato?"
The manager, who had been
unpleasantly surprised at first, felt relieved when he heard that they
were only looking for their good friend Frabato.
"Gentlemen," he
replied, "Frabato has no idea that you are looking for him. This morning
he gave me a fortnight's advance payment for his room. His car is in the
garage, his suits and his other clothes are in his room. He said he was
meeting a friend at the cafe near the city tower. Surely he is merely late
and will be here in a moment."
The two gentlemen thanked the
manager and left their telephone number with him, asking him to call them
the moment Frabato returned. Then they left the hotel quickly. The two
police officers hurried to the cafe and asked the staff if Frabato had
been there. When they heard that no one had seen him, they informed their
office that they suspected Frabato had fled. In no time at all, a large
number of police-men were on their way to the various taxi stands to try
and ascertain Frabato's whereabouts. With the help of photographs and
personal descriptions they soon found a trace of the magician - but this
trace failed to lead them to the man they were looking for. The police
were forced to reluctantly admit that their suspect had eluded them.
Meanwhile, after a wild ride, Frabato reached the border at 11:30
A.M. He thanked the driver, paid him double the fare, and walked casually
up to the border station. Not having any luggage, he was able to pass
through without delay.
The taxi driver wanted his engine to cool
down a bit, so he leaned contentedly in his seat and lit a cigarette. "I
should have passengers like that every day," he thought. Frabato had just
passed customs and entered his native country when a voice came over the
loudspeakers on the German side:
"Attention! Attention! All border
stations of the German Reich! The stage artist Frabato is trying to escape
the German authorities and is to be arrested at once. It is presumed that
he is using a taxi to escape over the border."
A detailed
description of Frabato followed. With a sigh of relief, Frabato walked
towards the border town, thinking, "It was a close call, but I made it!"
He was safe now in his native country. He had thwarted another plan
designed by the F.O.G.C. Lodge. His possessions, however, had been
abandoned, and he would have to adapt to a new lifestyle. He did not have
much money, but he hoped he could manage for a while.
While having
lunch in the station restaurant of the small town, he thought about what
had happened in the past few hours and how he had barely escaped with his
life. He thanked Divine Providence for his rescue. An hour later he was on
an express train bound for the capital of his native land.
Chapter
VIII
Frabato awoke in his hotel room, deeply concerned about
the direction of history. Mankind's chronic inability to envision positive
thoughts and transform them into deeds was becoming even more widespread.
Political persecution, coupled with torture and murder, had become the
order of the day - and would soon lead to an orgy of destruction. With his
spiritual eyes, Frabato could see the course of events to come in the
Akasha, but the immutable laws of silence did not permit him to discuss
such matters in public. His own fate, too, would take a tragic turn, and
he would not be allowed to use his magical powers to alter his destiny,
for every being in the universe is bound by the laws of karma.
He
felt some consolation, though, in the fact that Divine Providence would
sustain him during his time of persecution. He knew he was protected by
the Brothers of Light in order that he might carry out his mission on
earth.
To rid himself of these depressing thoughts he took refuge
for some minutes in a special meditation. Then he had a bath and shortly
afterwards left the hotel quite refreshed.
The inhabitants of the
metropolis seemed to have made "haste" and "speed" their slogans, for
there was already a nervous hustle and bustle in many streets of the city.
Frabato chose a restaurant on a quiet side street for his breakfast. At
the next table, three gentlemen were engaged in lively conversation.
Contrary to his usual habit, Frabato took up a newspaper to familiarize
himself with his new surroundings. He was in no hurry; as of yet, he had
no plans for the future.
While reading his paper, he overheard
some of the conversation at the next table, especially because one of the
three gentlemen was explaining his views rather loudly and
enthusiastically. Frabato's interest was suddenly aroused as he realized
that metaphysics and spiritism constituted the subject matter of the
conversation. He proceeded to watch the three men inconspicuously, though
without making use of his clairvoyance, and he deduced that one of the
gentlemen was a scientist, whereas the other two appeared to be
businessmen. After listening to their opinions for a few moments, he was
unable to suppress a smile at the way so many confused and quite incorrect
ideas had been mixed together.
One of the men happened to look in
Frabato's direction and notice his indulgent smile. For a moment the man
was unable to make up his mind between two possibilities: either this
smiling gentleman at the next table knew more about the subject of
conversation than the speakers themselves, or he thought their entire
topic a mere chimera.
Finally he decided that the former was the
case, despite the fact that Frabato's appearance did not allow for any
definite conclusions; he looked like an average person, a man in the
street.
During a short pause in the conversation, the man who had
been watching Frabato whispered something to his friends. The other two
looked at Frabato and then nodded. The first gentleman got up at once and
approached Frabato's table:
"Pardon my disturbing you, sir, but it
would appear that you are an expert in occultism. May I therefore invite
you to join in our conversation. My name is K., and I am a manufacturer of
optical instruments."
Frabato accepted the invitation in a
friendly manner. Having introduced himself, he sat down at the neighboring
table. Mr. K. introduced his partners: Mr. P., a bank manager, and
Professor G., a doctor of chemistry. The professor was unable to control
his curiosity:
"Mr. Frabato, are you not the clairvoyant and
occultist about whom so many newspapers have been reporting for some time
now? If that is indeed the case, then I must regard it as my good fortune
to meet you here."
Frabato, who now realized that he could not
remain unnoticed in this city, nodded to the professor, saying:
"Yes, I am the one you have read about in the papers. You really
are lucky to meet me here, for, strictly speaking, my presence here is
rather involuntary. I did not intend to laugh at you, but some of your
views on metaphysics are not exactly correct."
Of course, the
gentlemen wanted to know why Frabato had come to the city involuntarily.
He told them the whole story and, shocked, they promised to help him as
much as they could. They all invited him to their homes, and, since he had
no fixed plans, he decided to dedicate the following three nights to his
new acquaintances. One of the evenings would involve a small celebration
with a few friends and acquaintances - Frabato took it as an act of fate
and benevolently agreed. (As a matter of fact, he later found so much
support in this circle that he was able to overcome his desperate
situation.)
First, the gentlemen asked him many questions about
occult phenomena, which Frabato answered as clearly as possible. However,
he pointed out that there was a great deal of knowledge in the field which
could only reveal itself to a real practitioner. The three men soon
admitted that they had been seeing many things in the wrong light. After
two hours had passed, they began to discuss the problem of fate. The
professor was of the opinion that there was no such thing as
pre-determined fate, but that man was the architect of his own destiny.
Although the professor gave good reasons for his views, Frabato responded
with amused laughter.
"Professor," he said, "a person must travel
quite a ways along the spiritual path and attain a certain maturity in his
development before he can become the master of his own fate; moreover, he
must be able to sustain that maturity under all possible circumstances. To
say it in a few words, one must attain spiritual, astral, and physical
equilibrium if one wishes to take the reins of his destiny into his own
hands. If you think you have reached such a level of maturity and can
determine your fate yourself, I shall give you a small demonstration of
the influence of destiny upon man."
There was a pause; the three
gentlemen stared at Frabato, astounded. One could see from the professor's
countenance that he was very perturbed, for he had always set the tone in
this small group and now felt somewhat demoted. Frabato noticed this and
said, benevolently:
"I do not wish to deny that you have a great
deal of theoretical knowledge. You have read much, even in foreign
languages. You have a large library, and you have been publishing articles
on metaphysics in different foreign magazines, which has given you a name
as something of an authority. But in occult science there is a great
difference between mere knowledge and practical know-how."
The
professor was quite surprised at what Frabato knew about him. Curious, he
replied, "Mr. Frabato, if what you say is true I should be very pleased to
see you produce any evidence of the influence of destiny."
Lost in
thought, Frabato gazed ahead. His faraway eyes had assumed a peculiar
stare. His consciousness was clearly not focused upon his immediate
surroundings. This condition lasted only a short time, then Frabato
blinked his eyes as if awakening from a deep sleep, smiled at the
professor, and said;
"I have just been looking into your future
with my spiritual eye. With the help of a small event, I shall prove to
you the influence of fate. If you are not anywhere near the Pulver Tower
at midnight tonight, you will have proven that you are able to master your
fate. Let us wait and see if it is within your power to resist your
destiny."
The professor's countenance exuded irony and arrogance
as he retorted, "I will wager anything that I will not be at the Pulver
Tower at midnight!"
Frabato pretended not to hear these words, and
changed the subject by confirming the dates of his invitations. Everyone
had another glass of wine, then they all took their leave.
When he
left the restaurant and climbed into a taxi, Professor G. felt rather
peculiar. For a bachelor, he lived in high style, for he resided in a big
villa and had a number of servants. His versatile research work was one
reason for his being alone; the other was that he took no particular
interest in women. Still, he engaged in love affairs from time to time,
but wanted to remain free of the obligations attached to family life.
Arriving home, he found a lot of mail. He merely skimmed through
it. He scribbled some notes on some of the letters but postponed his
replies to a later date. He was not able to free himself from the bad mood
which had beset him at the restaurant shortly before the end of the
conversation. He would never have admitted, though, that his offended
self-conceit was the cause of his mood. What sort of man was this
Frabato?, he wondered. During their initial meeting, the magician had been
able to describe many details of the professor's home. It was as if he had
already been there.
"This Frabato will prove to be incorrect
tonight," he said to himself. "I will show him that I am the master of my
destiny! I shall make a great effort not to leave my home again this
evening."
He decided to stay in bed the whole time, no matter what
happened. What a satisfaction it would be for him to prove that Frabato
was wrong! His own self-esteem would grow and, apart from that, he would
verify the validity and incontestability of his philosophical opinions.
A glance at his watch made him realize that it was already 3:00
P.M. That was why his stomach had been grumbling so energetically; he had
not yet had lunch. After he had eaten something, he tried to work on a
report he was to send to a foreign magazine, but had quite a difficult
time concentrating because Frabato's words kept nagging at his soul like a
worm and he was afraid that the magician might turn out to be right in the
end.
At 5:00 P.M. G.'s thoughts were still occupied with Frabato.
To rid himself of his mental aggravation, he went to bed and decided not
to get up before the next morning. But his inward unrest would not let him
sleep. Nervously, he tossed and turned. Suddenly, a servant knocked at his
door to inform him that a party of well-known artists had come to visit
him and that they were now waiting in the foyer. Professor G. had good
connections with the art world, for apart from his academic activities he
was also a theater critic.
The visitors seemed to have had a few
glasses of wine somewhere and were all slightly inebriated. When the
servant returned to inform them that the professor was not feeling well
and therefore had gone to bed early, they could not be kept back, but
literally stormed his room.
"What is the matter with you, old boy,
creeping into bed at this time of the day? You are not ill. You need a
little change!" one of the visitors exclaimed - a man well known for his
witty humor who was never short of words. The artists badgered the
professor insistently in an attempt to persuade him to get out of bed.
Since there was no sign of illness, the professor was in a weak position
and eventually had to get dressed. In the meantime his visitors made
themselves comfortable in the living room and the professor had no choice
but to offer a few bottles of wine because of his longstanding friendship
with them. The comedian, who was also a leading actor on major stages,
gave a most vivid account of the latest news, and soon the professor
forgot all about Frabato's prophecy. The actor finished his stories by
leaning towards the professor and saying, "My dear friend, you absolutely
must come to the theater with us this evening! Tonight is the premiere of
a play in which I happen to have the main role. As a critic, you must not
miss it under any circumstances."
After two glasses of wine, the
professor was mildly intoxicated and accepted the invitation by nodding
his head. He quickly had something prepared for supper, which pleased the
cheerful company very much. Then the time came when they set out. Two big
taxis were called to take the happy lot to the theater, where the
professor had his own box.
The opening night was a grand success
and the professor waited with his friends in the foyer for the leading
actor to appear. When the star finally arrived, everyone gave him their
hearty congratulations and the professor promised to write a very
favorable critique. A few more actors joined them and the whole troupe
went to a wine tavern to celebrate the play's success.
As the
actors had another performance the next day, the company gradually
dissolved around 11:30. The leading actor said good-bye to the professor
at the door. "Good night! Why not take a taxi? You will get home quickly."
But it was a Saturday night and the clubs were rather busy; there
was not a taxi in sight. Because he had been drinking, the professor
decided to get some fresh air by walking part of the way home.
The
traffic on the main street was still heavy, so he turned down a side
street which seemed less frequented; he had had enough excitement for one
day. Music filled his ears from the half-open windows of the pubs and
night clubs as he strolled along, completely absorbed in thought.
Suddenly there was a commotion near one of the taverns. A number
of men and women were standing together in a group. Curious, the professor
approached them and realized that two young men, obviously drunk, had
insulted each other and were beginning to fight.
Unfortunately, G.
felt compelled to call out to the two men, telling them to go home and not
fight in the streets.
Everything changed at once. The two drunks
stopped fighting. One of them began to insult the professor, who in turn
reacted with harsh words. One of the ruffians moved in on him,
threateningly. G. gave the other a slap, just as his attacker grabbed him.
With that, a commotion ensued; everyone shouted, and then the second
ruffian turned towards him.
Professor G. could see that he did not
have a chance. He hastily pushed himself through the crowd and ran away.
The man he had hit was eager for revenge and, taking a knife out of his
pocket, ran after the professor, cursing at the top of his voice.
Gasping for air, G. turned into a busier street, hoping to find a
policeman there. "My God, where are they when you need them?" He was
running for his life, but his assailant was gradually gaining on him. By
now he was almost exhausted. As he turned the corner at the Pulver Tower,
Frabato suddenly stood in his way.
"Help me!" the professor cried
out, panting heavily, his eyes filled with fear. "They want to murder me!"
Frabato gently pushed the professor aside. "Stop running and do
not be afraid!" he said, kindly. Then he calmly stepped in front of the
approaching ruffian, who suddenly seemed paralyzed, the knife still in his
hand. Then he turned, cursing, and disappeared around the next corner.
Frabato had changed the situation to the professor's advantage with the
use of a Kabbalistic word.
Frabato then turned to the professor,
whose head by now had cleared but whose limbs were still filled with fear.
He was stuttering slightly as he said to Frabato, "If you had not turned
up, I would be a corpse by now!"
Frabato patted his shoulder and,
pointing to his watch, said:
"My dear professor, you still do not
seem to be quite the master of your fate, for otherwise you would not be
here at this hour. Things have turned out as I predicted. I hope you are
now convinced that one cannot be master of his fate if he is still unable
to control all his circumstances and lead them in the direction he
chooses. And you will now realize that one must achieve what is called
'magical equilibrium' in order to accomplish this."
G. realized he
had been beaten. He apologized for having been a fool, naming his
selfconceit as the culprit. Frabato led him to a busier street and invited
him for a cup of coffee to calm his nerves. They stepped into a
restaurant. A gypsy band was entertaining the guests, but Frabato took the
professor to a quiet table in a corner. Frabato's self-assurance quieted
G., and he soon regained his customary self-confidence. Now he wanted
details, and while they were having their coffee Frabato told him he had
foreseen this event in the Akasha. It would have been possible for Frabato
to turn up at the moment of the fight, but that would have been somewhat
less convincing.
"How long did you wait at the Pulver Tower?" G.
asked. "Only about five minutes," Frabato replied, "for I was able to
follow you with my spiritual eye and I therefore knew where to meet you."
Professor G. was full of admiration over these fateful
connections. He asked Frabato many questions that night, questions which
Frabato answered in great detail. At last the two night owls ventured
forth and, promising to meet again at K.'s the following night, they took
a cab home.
Evening had fallen. Preparations for the great party
had been completed at K.'s villa. A number of K.'s friends and
acquaintances, all interested in occult science, had gathered early.
Frabato was known to many of the guests from newspaper reports, and they
were therefore eager to meet him personally.
K. had already
telephoned G. in the morning to find out about the events of the previous
night. The professor had spoken only briefly, but promised to give a
detailed account of the story that evening.
One car after another
arrived, bringing guests. The host was always very pleased to be the
center of big social events. A mixed company of industrialists, writers,
artists, and reporters was gathering. At half past seven, K. welcomed his
guests with a few words, announcing that Frabato would arrive at eight
o'clock. He asked his friend G. for an account of his experiences. The
professor told his story impressively and exhaustively, along with
Frabato's prophecy.
His accounts of the previous evening enhanced
everyone's expectations of Frabato, for many of the guests wanted to ask
him for advice concerning personal matters. When his arrival was finally
announced to the master of the house, there was an immediate hush. K. led
Frabato in, introduced him with a few words, and had supper served at once
in order to create a casual atmosphere. The host had spared no expense:
the guests were offered a large selection of the best foods and the most
exquisite drinks. Frabato had taken the seat of honor at the head of the
table and made use of this opportunity to study each of the guests
inconspicuously. By the time the table was cleared, he already had an idea
of their most secret thoughts, though he gave the impression that he was
not interested in any one particular person.
Then, as the most
interesting part of the evening was to begin, K. worried that his guests
might impose upon Frabato.
Frabato came to his rescue and rose to
thank his host for the invitation, praising his excellent hospitality and
expressing how pleased he was that so many friends of the house were very
interested in the occult sciences.
K., clearly pleased with these
words, began telling everyone how he had chanced to meet Frabato. About
half an hour of general conversation went by, and some of the guests began
to get anxious that they would be unable to exchange a word with Frabato
that evening. On top of that, many of them had been expecting occult
phenomena. Frabato asked for a cup of coffee and, while stirring in some
sugar, started to speak:
"Ladies and gentlemen! Most of you have
already heard of magic mirrors and crystal balls. A true initiate, though,
is also able to use any liquid as a magic mirror - even a cup of black
coffee."
An actress was about to ask a question when Frabato
motioned her to silence with his hand.
"I know you are about to
ask whether your performance tomorrow will be a success, since you are
playing a new role and you have made some mistakes at the dress
rehearsal."
He looked into his cup of coffee with intense
concentration, as if reading the event directly from it, although in fact
the black surface simply enabled him to look into the future with his
spiritual eye.
"You may rest assured," he went on. "It will be a
big success and there will be great applause for you." The actress was
pleasantly surprised and, knowing that Frabato was able to read her most
secret thoughts, she felt unable to say a word. In any case, she was very
pleased with what she heard.
"None of you need say a word to me,"
Frabato continued. "I shall tell everyone what burdens him most."
He then addressed one of the businessmen in a serious tone: "Your
future looks bleak, for the agreement you signed two days ago will soon
bankrupt you."
The gentleman in question had in fact signed such
an agreement, and was now deeply shocked to hear such a prophecy.
Unfortunately, what Frabato had declared was soon to come true.
In
the same manner, Frabato revealed the near future to all the guests. When
everyone had had his turn and a young lady was about to ask another
question, Frabato put his right forefinger to his mouth to indicate
silence. Immediately, everyone became quiet, watching Frabato with
curiosity. The magician was staring into a corner of the room as if he
perceived something extraordinary there. For a few seconds his countenance
took on an absent-minded expression, then he inhaled deeply and, turning
towards K., said:
"My dear friend, it was not right for you to
leave your youngest sister alone upstairs in her room. You have been
telling her about me today, and she was very much looking forward to being
able to speak to me too. You need not have been ashamed to place your
afflicted sister among us, for illness is no shame. I can see her crying
bitterly."
Frabato's words both surprised K. and embarrassed him
deeply. He managed a fainthearted admission that he had not intended to
have his suffering sister mix with the guests lest the atmosphere be
spoiled. This, he said, had been the only reason for his decision, and he
was now quite shaken that it had not remained hidden from Frabato. If none
of those present had any objection, he would now go and bring down his
sister. K.'s suggestion was unanimously approved, and two ladies
volunteered to help the disabled girl to dress.
K. went up to his
sister with the two ladies; she was indeed lying on her bed with her eyes
full of tears.
Helen, K.'s sister, had suffered a cerebral
hemorrhage six months earlier and had been paralyzed on her right side
ever since. The best doctors had tried to treat her, but there was still
no hope of a cure. She was only twenty-three years old.
K. told
his sister what had happened and asked her to spend the rest of the
evening with Frabato and the other guests. Because of her helplessness,
Helen refused to join them at first. But when the ladies offered their
help, curiosity and anticipation got the better of her and she agreed to
join in. K. left the room, the ladies began to dress Helen, and she was
carried downstairs on a chair. Everyone present welcomed her cordially and
she beamed with pleasure when she was given the seat of honor beside
Frabato.
To keep the party going, Frabato gave an account of some
interesting events he had experienced on his numerous journeys. The guests
listened attentively but secretly hoped for further evidence of Frabato's
occult abilities and, consequently, were full of anticipation. Frabato did
not fail to notice, for all their thoughts lay open to his spiritual eyes.
Without letting it show outwardly, he was busying himself with Helen's
destiny. In his mind, Frabato asked Divine Providence for permission to
cure this woman and, as if from a profound depth, he received an answer
from the unfathomable abyss: "You may help her, cure her!"
Frabato
now interrupted his account. With everyone's eyes fixed steadily upon him,
he seized Helen's hands and gazed at her for a few seconds. She fell into
deep sleep at once. No one moved. After about two minutes, Helen began to
breathe deeply, her eyelashes blinking softly. Then she was awake again.
Frabato was still holding her hands when he said to her quietly,
"You are healthy again. How do you feel?"
The young woman looked
around the circle doubtfully, then, hesitatingly, lifted her right arm and
moved her fingers. She bent and stretched her right leg; she was happy
behind all comprehension!
"You may now use both your legs again,"
Frabato said with a smile. When she got up, still rather unsteady in her
movements, Frabato held her arm and accompanied her as she took her first
steps. Then she went on alone, cautiously, fearing that she might still
fall back into the old condition. Not until she had walked a few meters
without anyone's help was she convinced that she had been completely
healed. Tears of happiness sparkled in her eyes as everyone congratulated
her on this unexpected cure.
While the guests were sharing Helen's
happiness, Frabato quietly went to the bar. This way he could avoid any
flattery - being made a saint was the last thing he wanted. Most of the
guests simply stood in awe of the healing, while others felt rather eerie
in the presence of someone who had real power over the health and sickness
of human beings. Later, Helen joined Frabato at the bar and, stretching
out her hand, she said, "I am very, very happy. You have given me my life
back and I really do not know how to thank you!"
With a slight bow
Frabato took her hand and replied, "It was a pleasure for me, but I was
only the tool. Your thanks are due to no one else but Divine Providence,
who has made this healing possible."
Released from the depressing
burden of illness, Helen mingled with the guests again. The party's mood
had reached its peak, and the evening's events were enthusiastically
discussed in a number of small groups. It was after midnight when the
guests finally said goodnight to their host.
After the last guest
had left the house, only K., his sister Helen, and Frabato remained. K.
invited Frabato to stay with them for the night - an invitation which he
gratefully accepted, since he felt very tired. Only a few minutes went by
before this little group dissolved as well, and Frabato retreated to the
guest room for the night.
The rays of the rising sun found their
way through the curtains and settled on Frabato's face; it did not take
long before the sunlight woke him. He got up, dressed, and was about to
leave his room when there was a cautious knock at his door. When he opened
it, K. and his sister stood there beaming with joy, wishing him a good
morning and inviting him to breakfast. Both had slept very little during
the night due to the after-effect of the evening's excitement. Despite all
this, Frabato's presence in the house persuaded them to rise early that
morning as well. They sat down for a comfortable breakfast which Helen had
prepared for them. K. at once addressed Frabato:
"Master, we
should like to make a suggestion. We have a country house in one of the
suburbs which is presently unoccupied. You can live there for as long as
you wish without cost. Apart from that, we should be very pleased if we
could also count on your friendly advice in the future."
After a
short consideration, Frabato replied, "I thank you very much for this
proposal. I gladly accept it, for a hotel room is by no means a place of
comfort. You may always count on my advice and help."
Breakfast
ended and they went together to the hotel for Frabato's luggage and then
drove to K.'s country house. The house was completely furnished and was
situated in charming rural surroundings. After K. and his sister made sure
that Frabato was supplied with the necessary household goods, they said
goodbye to their guest.
Frabato was quite content with the course
of his fate. A house was now at his disposal in which he was able to work
undisturbed. He had become acquainted with some of the most influential
people of the city, who would, no doubt, help him financially as well. On
the whole, fate was showing him its sunny side.
Chapter
IX
It was not long before Frabato was fully occupied in his
new residence. He wrote commentaries on the science of metaphysics for
various magazines. Reporters came to visit him more frequently, and he was
more and more often asked for help by the ailing. As he was also
well-versed in the art of healing, he was able to treat many cases
successfully, as long as the laws of karma allowed him to do so.
Late in the afternoon of such a busy day, the last visitor had
just left the house and Frabato was making a few preparations for the next
day. The bell announced another guest. In the reception room, Frabato
encountered professor G., who greeted him cordially. G. was a regular
visitor and the two of them often discussed various aspects of occult
science at great length.
Frabato shook hands with G., saying, "I
have had many visitors today and I have not yet had a chance to relax. I
should like to go for a walk in nature. The weather today is lovely and a
bit of fresh air will not do us any harm. What do you think?"
G.
agreed, and a few minutes later they left the house together and walked
towards a nearby forest surrounded by fields and meadows. As the sun was
already rather low, it had lost its scorching strength, but the heat was
still rising from the soil and all nature seemed parched. As on his former
visits, G. had prepared a number of questions on occult problems which
Frabato would answer in detail. Today he had a few questions concerning
elemental beings and the spirits of nature. Frabato gave the professor a
precise account of the various kinds of elemental beings together with
their methods of working, both in nature and in human beings. In so doing,
he pointed out that the beings of nature are especially fond of the people
who likewise feel close to nature.
They walked on in silence for a
while, wrapped in thought and listening to the voices of nature. Although
the sun was gradually disappearing behind the horizon, it was still quite
hot and there was not a cloud to be seen in the clear sky.
"I
know," Frabato began, "that you are a great skeptic. Being a theoretician,
you find it difficult to form a clear picture of the powers of magic. As
you can see for yourself, there is no hope of rain at the moment. Despite
this, I will now use the Kabbalistic magic of nature in order to bring
about some rainfall within a very short time. This is to convince you of
the effectiveness of this science."
"That sounds unbelievable," G.
retorted, "but no secret seems to be hidden from you. I would of course be
very grateful to you for demonstrating such an example of natural magic."
Frabato smiled faintly, for he knew that control over natural
magic is one of the perfectly normal abilities of a magician.
"You
see,' he said to G., "nothing is impossible for a human being who is
united with Divine Providence. However, the true adept will always move
within divine order, since he is fully responsible for everything he does.
The more perfect an initiate's development, the greater will be his
respect for Divine Providence and the magnificent secrets of the cosmos. I
shall not make rain simply to convince you, but also to satisfy nature,
which is craving for water. Please watch the sky carefully and remain
quiet until I speak again."
The two wanderers sat down in the
grass and were looking over the vast fields. There were no people nearby
and they were completely unobserved and undisturbed. Frabato assumed a
yogic asana, crossing his legs and keeping his back upright. His eyes
closed; he seemed completely paralyzed. G. examined nature attentively,
and from time to time cast a shy glance at the rigid Frabato. It might
have been about five minutes before Frabato's figure came back to life. He
opened his eyes, and, stretching his legs, sat beside G., asking him:
"Well, have you noticed anything extraordinary?" Indeed, G. had
already noticed a gradually increasing tension in the air - the promise of
a thunderstorm! The wind was growing stronger and stronger. When Frabato
started to speak to him, the first clouds appeared on the horizon, and G.
now pointed into the distance, full of astonishment:
"Just look
how quickly the clouds are approaching! It is indeed phenomenal that you
should have such mighty powers at your disposal. From your appearance, no
one would guess at your abilities."
"It is not necessary for a
true magician to make a show of his knowledge and abilities. He can adapt
himself inconspicuously to any circumstances and thus remain undetected by
the average man. This adaptability is an aspect of silence and, from the
Hermetic point of view, is one of the basic characteristics of divine
power. Silence, in the magical sense, does not mean that one should
refrain from talking; rather, one is to hide one's spiritual abilities
from the public. Only when this principle is observed will Divine
Providence trust a mature human being with the highest power. When we
first met, you did not have the slightest suspicion that I was engaged in
the Hermetic and spiritual sciences.
Even if we were to know each
other for many years, you would only be able to perceive as much of my
abilities as is possible in accordance with your own level of development.
In any case, a true adept will never run about with a halo."
During this short conversation the sky had become overcast and the
atmosphere charged, as though a thunder-storm were about to break loose at
any moment. In fact, lightning was flashing through the clouds and thunder
was rumbling. Professor G. looked at the sky anxiously and seemed ill at
ease being in the open country at that moment. To soothe him, Frabato put
his hand on his shoulder, saying:
"As long as I am here with you,
you need not be afraid. It is warm, indeed, and a few raindrops will not
do us any harm. Apart from that, there is a bushy chestnut tree near here
for our shelter. However, should you want to get home before the
thunderstorm, I will join you."
G. seemed appeased and agreed to
the suggestion that they take refuge from the rain under the chestnut
tree. It was only about twenty meters away, and the first heavy raindrops
began falling to the ground even before they got there. Within a few
seconds the rain began in earnest, and, running the last few steps, they
reached the tree. Strong gusts of wind were now blowing through the trees,
mercilessly breaking the weaker branches.
The rain poured down
heavily, puddles and pools forming everywhere. The soil could not absorb
the water quickly enough - it had been a long time since there had been a
thunderstorm as strong as this one in that part of the country.
The winds whipped through the chestnut tree and soon it could not
offer much shelter. Both men got thoroughly wet. This did not spoil
Frabato's good mood, but G., being less resistant, began to shiver from
the cold.
"Unfortunately, I am very sensitive," he said, trying to
make an excuse. "I will certainly catch cold in these wet clothes."
"Do not be afraid," said Frabato, putting his right hand on the
professor's shoulder. After a few seconds G. looked at Frabato
unbelievingly. "You are transferring heat into me from your hand! I am
already as hot as if I were in a steam bath. Now I understand how you can
also cure the sick with an extraordinary power like that." He was silent
for a moment, and then, after a deep breath, he went on: "If I only had a
tiny part of your power, how happy I should be!"
The sky seemed to
have opened and the soil could not absorb all the water: the ditches had
already filled and the paths were flooded. Shyly, G. asked, "How long will
this rain go on? We will not be able to go home in this thunderstorm."
Frabato looked at him with a smile and replied, "Just as I have
caused the weather spirits to bring rain, I shall now ask them to stop
it."
"That is impossible!" the professor exclaimed. "The whole sky
is dark and we cannot even think of going home!"
Frabato laughed
and said, "Why not? As soon as we leave this spot here, not a drop of rain
will fall any longer. Or do you doubt that this will happen? I shall prove
to you that with God everything is possible. Why should such a little
thing not be possible? Now watch carefully!"
Frabato raised his
hand in their intended direction. Then he whispered a few words and made a
gesture in the air. Only a few seconds had passed before it did in fact
stop raining, although the color of the sky had not changed in any way.
Frabato beckoned G. to follow him. The professor quickly joined Frabato
and although they were both completely soaked, Frabato seemed to be in
high spirits.
These miracles were completely beyond the
professor's powers of comprehension. Much to his surprise, he suddenly
realized that where Frabato and he were walking it was not raining, while
everywhere else it continued to pour. Looking up, he noticed that the
clouds were parting directly above them and were closing again behind
them. He had never before witnessed such a phenomenon.
Without
saying a word, Frabato walked at the professor's side, noticing his
surprise with pleasure. All the way back to the country house, not one
drop fell on the two men as the thunderstorm and rain continued to rage
everywhere else.
When they reached Frabato's residence, the sky
was still dark and they had to switch on the lights. G. wanted to go home
at once but Frabato persuaded him to stay and lent him some dry clothes,
giving the wet ones to his servant to be dried and ironed. They then sat
down comfortably in the living room with a cup of tea and some biscuits.
"You are a peculiar man! You make it rain, you stop the rain, you
cure any ailment, you are familiar with all the sciences of the world -
and you behave as if all this were quite natural. A wealth of knowledge
and power like that is something I can hardly understand."
Frabato
looked at the professor seriously and replied, "Any human being can
acquire knowledge and power of this kind as long as he can muster the
energy to follow the path of magic up to the highest levels. This power
was not simply given to me. In principle, I can use my energy and power
freely, but I must be able to justify my deeds before Divine Providence.
Since every high initiate is free from karma, he will avoid applying his
magical powers for his own well-being. During any physical incarnation he
is ordinarily allowed to exercise only those abilities that any common man
has at his disposal. This is a law of development which must not be
violated without special reason. The true magician knows that he is always
united with Divine Providence in a way which is never given to any black
magician. Through his deeds the black magician condemns himself to
loneliness in the cosmos, unless he has a liking for demonic beings. The
final damnation of a black magician in this case is incomprehensible to a
normal person, for the feeling of utter loneliness can only be understood
by an initiate.
"Because we initiates observe the positive
spiritual laws to their final consequences, we are allowed to participate
in the power of Divine Providence. This steadfast observance of the
spiritual laws does not arise from the fear of possible punishment by the
karmic powers; rather, it is derived from the greatest absolute veneration
of and humility towards the power and wisdom of Divine Providence of which
a human being is capable. Reverence and humility are among the most
important characteristics of the path of magic.
"The destiny of an
initiate cannot ordinarily be understood by the immature and the
uninitiated. This is due simply to a lack of insight into the spiritual
laws. Not everybody is as fortunate as you, for I was permitted to give
you a few examples of magical power. Actually, it is of greater advantage
if one becomes convinced of the activity and effect of beings and laws
through self-study, because it is the knowledge one has acquired on one's
own that leads to true belief. In magic, belief is gradually replaced by
knowledge. First, the student has to accept the teachings of the initiates
with belief alone; then he will convince himself, through his own efforts,
that his belief was justified. This kind of belief, which is sustained by
knowledge, is called 'manifested belief,' and it was preached by Christ
when he said that true faith can move mountains."
Lightning
illuminated the room, followed by a crash of thunder. Both men
involuntarily looked outside. "You see," Frabato continued, "in spite of
the fact that the barometric pressure is high, the elemental beings have
followed my order and have brought rain and thunder. If you could use your
spiritual eyes, you would see how the elements are set in motion by the
entities in order to bring about a thunderstorm like this. You would see
how they direct the electrical currents to cause the effects you are
familiar with. For we clairvoyants, it is obvious what happens in cases
such as this, whereas in your eyes it looks like a miracle. The unleashing
of the elements is one of the smallest Kabbalistic secrets of the magic of
nature. Now what is left for me to do is to calm down the elements once
again; otherwise, the thunderstorm will go on till tomorrow morning and
cause a lot of damage."
Frabato now stood at the window. His eyes
looked into the far distance as he murmured a few formulas which the
professor did not understand. After a few minutes it stopped raining, the
clouds parted slowly, the starry heavens became visible, and nature seemed
to breathe again, refreshed. Quite relieved, Professor G. could now put on
his dry clothes again. Frabato bade the professor farewell. The events of
the day had left a deep impression on the professor and given him much
food for thought.
In the weeks and months that followed, Frabato
was very busy. The articles he had published in various magazines under a
pseudonym fell on fertile ground. He made many new acquaintances and his
metaphysical work brought him professional standing and authority. Of
course there were also people who envied him, even hated him. Frabato had
all kinds of enemies, but he just ignored them, leaving them completely to
the powers of karma.
In the course of time he also made many
contacts in other countries which brought him numerous invitations from
all over the world. Therefore, one day Frabato decided to leave K.'s
country house for an indefinite time to journey around the world.
Preparations were quickly made and soon he was on his way. He
traveled to the largest and most interesting cities, where, depending on
the situation, he either worked as an initiate or as a teacher of
spiritual sciences. Several years passed before Frabato returned. There
had been a number of changes during his absence. K. had married - in fact,
he had made a marriage pact with a being of the water element. The affair
did not end happily. K. had evoked an undine, but because he did not yet
possess complete magical equilibrium, the bewitchingly beautiful
water-being persuaded him to make a pact with her, one which he could not
resist. The undine incarnated herself in the body of a beautiful young
girl who was lying on her death bed, then cured the ailing body by magic
and married K. Frabato had emphatically warned K. against pacts like this
during their former meetings. He could see K.'s future clairvoyantly and
knew the danger he was facing. Unfortunately, K. had not taken Frabato's
warning seriously and thus had become a victim of the undine's seductive
arts.
Helen, K.'s younger sister, married an industrialist from
another country and became the mother of two children. The country house
in the suburbs had changed its owner, too.
Frabato felt that his
old associations had fallen away, and therefore decided to return to his
home town. He had become tired of traveling around the world and wanted to
create a more tranquil future. In his native town he established a new
home and led a life of seclusion for the next couple of years.
Materialism and political fanaticism gained the upper hand in
Europe. All those who took an interest in the spiritual and occult
sciences were in great danger. The horrors of war seized millions of
people for many years.
Chapter
X
The moon shone clearly and gently through the window of
Frabato's study, illuminating his figure as he sat motionless, absorbed in
meditation. Though he was in a state of ecstasy, Frabato clearly perceived
that he was being summoned spiritually by his secret name, known only to
the Brothers of Light; and he therefore knew that he was being called to a
meeting of the highest initiates.
The Brotherhood of Light is a
spiritual organization which consists of the highest initiates of our
cosmic system. Only one who has mastered and is able to practice the first
three leaves of the Book of Wisdom has access to this brotherhood. Since
the beginning of human spiritual evolution, those who have achieved the
highest state of magical perfection and have not yet consciously dissolved
their individuality are to be found in this organization. The Brothers of
Light assume responsibility for the wellbeing and development of
humankind, though the task of maintaining that development may not always
require physical incarnation. The Brotherhood of Light is structured in
accordance with a hierarchy which corresponds to the initiated members'
degree of perfection. Their superior is the so-called Prime Initiator who
has a rank equal to a Mahatma, the Deputy of Divine Order and the
Custodian of All Secrets. In the hierarchy he is called Urgaya, the Wise
Man of the Mountain or the Old Master. He has been the Prime Initiator
since the beginning of the world, but rarely manifests himself. He
customarily takes on a form only for very short periods of time when he
chooses to stand by and give advice to a Brother of Light regarding his
task.
In the hierarchy, the Old Master has twelve subordinate
adepts who have reached the highest spiritual perfection. These adepts
take over the most difficult tasks, but they too are very seldom
incarnate; therefore they usually do their work through the zone which
girdles the earth. Some of these adepts are only incarnated once in a
hundred or a thousand years. Urgaya and the twelve adepts form the Council
of Elders and meet regularly or have special meetings to make important
decisions concerning the fate of the peoples of the earth.
The
twelve adepts have seventy-two wise men, or enlightened people under them,
who again have 360 masters. The seventy-two wise men and the 360 masters
are also summoned to a general assembly. In the case of special meetings,
Urgaya sends for particular initiates.
When Frabato heard the call
that evening, he knew there would be a general assembly. He had already
been to many such meetings, and therefore was aware that important
decisions were to be made on the course of the development of humanity and
the nations of the world. Which task would he be given this time?
The Brotherhood of Light has no permanent domicile on earth,
although they maintain certain points of reference in the Orient. At that
time, several brothers had incarnated in the Orient and worked in the
framework of their missions. The general assembly always met in a magical
room, created especially for that purpose in the zone girdling the earth.
Urgaya always created this magical room personally, protecting it and
making it visible only to the Brothers of Light, so that he would not be
perceived, either spiritually or astrally, by alien beings.
Frabato left his physical body both spiritually and astrally; it
lay upon his bed pale and rigid. His breathing and heartbeat had ceased.
With his spiritual and astral right hand Frabato made a magic circle
around his physical body, uttering a protective Kabbalistic formula to
protect it, for he knew full well that the slightest touch by another
person would cause his physical death. The power of the Kabbalistic
formula, on the other hand, yielded complete protection in all three
spheres.
Moved by his power of imagination, he was in the temple
of the Brothers of Light the next moment, for in the spiritual and astral
worlds one can overcome any distance without loss of time; these worlds
are ruled by timelessness.
Most of the brethren had already
assembled in the holy temple of the Brothers of Light and had taken their
usual seats. Judging by the astral bodies, every nation and race was
represented. Urgaya sat in front of everyone in indescribable
magnificence. His astral body was illuminated like liquid gold, his eyes
sparkling like diamonds. There was no one there who was not permeated with
the feeling that incarnate divinity was among them.
The interior
of the temple symbolized the supreme wisdom of the cosmos. There were no
windows, but twelve invisible chandeliers spread a radiant light which was
by no means inferior to sunlight. The ceiling of the temple rested on
twenty-two columns, symbolizing the Book of Wisdom. Each column radiated a
special light which indicated its invisible power and significance. The
ceiling alternately emanated a golden yellow and violet color, and was
covered with thousands of stars.
Frabato had taken his seat and
the last brethren had arrived. The assembly could now begin. Though the
Old Master had remained motionless until now, he suddenly came to life. He
scanned the room with inquiring eyes and nodded with satisfaction when he
saw that all were present. Everyone, regardless of rank, stood and bowed
in adoration before him. Urgaya thanked them with a gesture of blessing.
The temple was filled with a blissful atmosphere. There was silence and
expectation among the brothers. Urgaya opened the assembly in a calm
voice:
"My dear brethren, admirers of light, supporters of
everything good, who serve Divine Providence out of love and veneration, I
welcome you cordially to this assembly. All of us who are gathered here
have pledged to uphold the laws of Divine Providence for all eternity and
to keep the Mysteries. We all are part of the Divine Light, before whom we
bow in deepest humility and greatest veneration. The Light of Eternity
unites us all. Omnipotence and wisdom have been given to us through divine
grace and mercy. The omnipresent love of Divine Providence has joined us
in an inseparable union. We are the Brothers of Light, Truth, and Life."
Those present had the impression that God Himself had spoken, for
the temple was filled with an atmosphere of indescribable bliss which each
experienced differently, according to his rank and maturity. Here,
paradise had become reality. Here the highest ecstasy prevailed, and true
connection to the Divine Light. No immature or uninitiated person could
linger in this concentrated light. The initiates and magicians that had
assembled had their true home here. The Apostle Paul's words found their
meaning here: "But as it is written, the eye hath not seen nor ear heard,
neither have entered into the heart of man the things which God hath
prepared for them that love Him." Time and space seemed to have
disappeared, and thousands of years - or perhaps only seconds - of earth
time might have elapsed. This state of union with God cannot be
comprehended by an untrained human being and cannot be described in words.
Urgaya, who had closed his eyes for a few moments, once again
surveyed the assembly and changed the atmosphere in the temple.
"Dear brothers," he continued, "a few years of earthly time have
passed since last we met here. As commissioned by Divine Providence, each
of you who voluntarily co-operated in the great task of cosmic development
was given an assignment by me. I am very pleased that each of you has
loyally accomplished the task allotted him or else is still busy with his
mission. I thank you from the depths of my heart and in the name of Divine
Providence for all the effort and sacrifices you have made while working
on this great mission. May the blessing of Divine Providence continue to
be with all of you who work in humility and adoration to spread Divine
Light.
"I have called you here because I want to distribute, in
the name of Divine Providence, the new tasks for the coming era. The world
is facing a difficult future, for the misuse of power will cast entire
nations into disaster. It will be your task to ensure a certain
equilibrium - while at the same time remaining within the confines of
universal law. Your missions are difficult and will demand hard work from
each and every one of you. May Divine Providence grant you the necessary
strength to accomplish them!"
Seldom had Urgaya spoken with such
serious intent, and everyone understood that the world was indeed facing
powerful historical events. Each of the Brothers knew that a part of the
responsibility for the development of humankind would rest upon his
shoulders. Yet the assembled initiates regarded it as a special honor to
be allowed to participate in the great work of cosmic development, and
each of them would of course exert all of his energy to accomplish his
allotted task.
"My dear brothers," Urgaya continued in a serious
tone, "as you know, light cannot exist without darkness and truth cannot
exist without falsehood. According to the universal laws, the negative
principle thus has the same right to exist as does the positive principle.
Due to the development of science, the negative principle will gain great
power over the peoples of the earth in the near future. Therefore, with
the positive principle behind you, it will be your primary task to spread
love and fraternity among humankind. While thus engaged, you must of
course continue to observe the laws of karma, for good and evil alike are
necessary for the unrestrained evolution of the human spirit. As you all
know, wars represent a permanent condition on the earth and are caused by
the polarity of light and darkness. But wars like the ones that will shock
the planet in the near future have never taken place thus far in the
history of the world. The extent of the destruction will exceed the
boldest fantasies of men, and we certainly hope that those who survive
will draw from this experience the necessary lessons and awaken better
equipped against any future temptations."
At these words, the
assembly contemplated sadly the destiny of the nations, for they were able
to image a vivid picture of what humanity was sure to face. Those who were
allowed to partake in the harmony of the Divine Light were, however,
determined to help all those who aspired to realize positive goals.
Frabato, who for thousands of years had been entering into
incarnation only to help humankind in its spiritual development, had
witnessed wars and annihilation throughout the course of world history; he
understood the seriousness of Urgaya's words and that they must have a
ponderable significance.
What task would he be asked to fulfill
this time? "May Divine Providence grant me steadfastness," he thought to
himself.
As a complete being, he could of course dissolve himself
into the universal Divine Light at any time - but that would mean the
final loss of his individuality. Apart from that, his mission would then
have to be taken over by the other brothers.
Frabato enjoyed the
highest confidence among the Brothers of Light. Depending on what sort of
task he was given, he was often allowed to make use of the greatest
magical abilities. Thinking of the bright but remote future of humankind,
he was determined to contribute to its development, no matter how great
the difficulties.
Urgaya now began to distribute the missions for
the next period of development. He beckoned everyone to approach him and
informed each of his new mission. There were tasks of various kinds and
difficulties, depending on the nation or country wherein the initiate
would work, and what Divine Providence deemed to be of special importance
there.
First the 360 masters were given their tasks. Then Urgaya
summoned the seventy-two enlightened initiates, all of whom were entrusted
with especially difficult challenges. Much to his own amazement, Frabato,
who was first in rank among those seventy-two initiates, was not called
upon when his turn came. Without hesitation, Urgaya continued to
distribute tasks among the twelve adepts who, without exception, received
the most difficult tasks.
Frabato was surprised and concerned.
What was this supposed to mean? He had been completely overlooked during
the distribution of tasks. Was he no longer to receive a mission? Though
he had sometimes grown weary of life, he had always fulfilled his tasks.
What was to be done with him this time?
As these questions
occupied his mind, the last of the twelve adepts was given an assignment.
At last Urgaya looked upon Frabato and beckoned him to approach. Before
Frabato could fall to his knees before the representative of Divine
Providence, Urgaya stood and placed his hands upon Frabato's head, saying:
"Brother of Light, I bless you. You need not worry, for Divine
Providence loves you and appreciates your co-operation. You have been
serving the Light for thousands of years. You are free to dissolve your
individuality any time you want, but I believe we would all regard this as
a great loss to the future, for not one of those present has been
incarnated on earth as often as you.
"Planet Earth is facing
difficult times and destinies, and no one is better acquainted with its
inhabitants than you are. Frabato, I am convinced that you will complete
your present incarnation well, including the task associated with it,
though it is one of your most difficult."
A special distinction of
this nature had not been bestowed upon an initiate for hundreds of years.
Greatly astonished, Frabato sank to his knees before Urgaya and bowed
deeply.
"I will no longer think of dissolving my individuality and
will go on serving Divine Providence loyally," he thought as though
expressing an oath.
Urgaya asked Frabato to sit down before him
and then went back to his exalted seat. From there he addressed the
assembly once again:
"Brothers of Light! As you know, science has
made great advances. The speed of technical progress will continue to
increase tremendously during this century, and, because of this
development, man will procure mighty weapons. The danger is that these
weapons may be used negatively by those responsible, whereby the spiritual
development of entire nations may of course be influenced. Through our
activities, a counterweight is to be created against these negative
forces. Today one of our brothers has been given the task of inspiring
leading individual personalities to apply such technical inventions
towards peace and the well-being of humankind."
An initiate with
profound eyes nodded, for it was he who had been allotted this task.
"Dear Frabato," Urgaya said, "the negative tendencies in the
advancement of humankind cannot be ignored. The world's materialistic
ideology has already seized a large part of humanity and will continue to
grow. As a consequence, there will be an ever increasing drive for money,
profit, and power, as well as for the satisfaction of the lower passions.
During the days of Atlantis you experienced for yourself what
materialistic thinking and irresponsible actions can lead to."
Frabato nodded, for he remembered the fall of Atlantis very well.
In the course of a technical experiment which was carried out by
irresponsible scientists possessed by the notion of "progress," the axis
of the earth had lost its equilibrium, which consequently brought about
the destruction of Atlantis within a short time - the details of the drama
are indelibly recorded in the Akasha, where every good initiate may obtain
a clear picture of the entire history of the cosmos.
Frabato still
did not know any details regarding his future mission. The brothers were
usually informed of their tasks with a few explanatory words. They were
not accustomed to such long prologues; therefore a distinct suspense was
now perceptible amongst those present.
"The whole endeavor of
science is directed towards exploring the secrets of matter," Urgaya
continued, "and thus it places its confidence entirely in the application
of physical and chemical laws. This confidence in the effectiveness of
technical means has resulted in the belief, at least among the majority,
that the spiritual entities who stand behind the whole matter are
non-existent. Only the initiates know that there is a spiritual science.
The only tools this science employs for its research are human nature and
human power. This science is the science of magic, which has existed since
the beginning. You are all acquainted with the laws of magic, and you know
that, despite all your freedom, you are only allowed to make use of the
power of this science within the limits of Divine Law. Brother Christ
expressed this concept by saying: 'I have not come into this world to
change the laws but to fulfill them.' I ask you, from the depths of my
heart, always to follow the spiritual laws accordingly."
Urgaya
glanced at Frabato, who nodded his head repentantly, for he knew that
these words were intended especially for him. He had now and again
intervened to halt the darker powers when it was still permitted to do so
by the laws of the karma. He had most often been unable to resist this
temptation where the need to combat so-called black magic was concerned.
Urgaya saw that his words had had the intended effect and
therefore considered the matter settled. Again he spoke to Frabato:
"Magic has, until the present day, been a secret knowledge. The
true spiritual laws have been accessible only to very special circles, who
in turn have passed them on only to those of their students who have
passed difficult examinations. This manner of dissemination has had the
advantage that the majority of people have been exempted thereby from the
temptation of applying magical means in negative ways. On the other hand,
there has been a disadvantage in that the people who have had no access to
magical circles have no knowledge of the path from belief to knowledge,
and consequently have never been able to proceed along this path.
"The armed conflicts of the past have brought death to millions of
people. Many of these departed human beings have complained in the
spiritual world that the true ways of spiritual development have never
been accessible to them. It is now your task, dear brother, to reveal to
humankind the true initiation into Hermetics by publishing appropriate
material."
Somewhat shocked, Frabato stared at Urgaya, but, before
he could answer, Urgaya had risen from his seat and motioned him to his
side. Frabato went with him to the first pillar of the hall, where Urgaya
said calmly and decidedly:
"Frabato, you know that this pillar
symbolizes the first page of the Book of Wisdom. You shall publish the
secrets of this first page, completely unveiled and without the use of
symbols. Show humankind how to proceed from belief to knowledge."
Then Urgaya led Frabato, deeply moved, to the second pillar and,
pointing to it with his hand, told him that the secrets of the second page
of the Book of Wisdom were to be made accessible as well.
Of
course, Frabato knew that the second pillar was the key to the magic of
the spheres and contained the secrets of their hierarchy. He hoped that
Urgaya would not go any further, but the latter, unperturbed, turned his
steps toward the third pillar, symbolizing the creative word, and said to
Frabato:
"'In the beginning was the Word'. It is so difficult for
people to understand this when they have no knowledge of the divine
language. For this reason you shall also reveal the secrets of the third
page of Wisdom."
Then he led Frabato to the fourth pillar, touched
it slightly with his hand, and said, "The fourth page of the Book of
Wisdom shall be explained to humankind." Having arrived at the fifth
pillar he said: "Here, with the fifth pillar, your task shall come to an
end. You will only be allowed to reveal the front side of this page. You
do understand why, do you not?"
Side by side, they returned from
whence they came. Urgaya sat down again; he seemed to be waiting for
Frabato to say something about his new mission.
In the meantime,
Frabato had become aware of the far-reaching implications of his task. He
dropped to his knees and raised his eyes to Urgaya, beseechingly:
"Magnificent representative of Divine Providence, custodian of all
cosmic secrets! I implore you from the bottom of my heart to release me
from this duty! When you called me last, I loyally accomplished the
mission with which I was charged. According to your wishes I was
incarnated into the body of a fourteen-year-old boy in order to become his
father's spiritual teacher. Furthermore, I traveled the world in order to
give evidence to humankind of the existence of the spiritual world. With
your benevolent permission I was allowed to make use of my magical
abilities to attest to the divine omnipotence, to heal the sick, and to
reveal the future. Most reverend Master, you know that in principle no
task is too difficult for me, but I beg you to take into consideration my
special situation. I have been serving you and Divine Providence as an
initiate for thousands of years. In hidden temples I passed on the secret
teachings only to the most mature students, and I obeyed the laws strictly
and mercilessly and executed anyone who transgressed against them, as the
laws dictated in the old days. As a priest of the temple, I carried out
initiations under severe oaths. How can I now disclose the Holy Mysteries
to immature men? I have always been especially devoted to silence. How can
I now cast pearls before swine and set free that light which will burn all
those who are not mature? Surely people are not yet sufficiently developed
to receive these teachings. They will drag divine wisdom into the mud;
they will misunderstand it and dishonor it! I beseech you to deliver me
from this task and to give me another."
It was a rare occasion for
any adept or initiate to try and reject the task allotted to him. If an
exchange was not possible amongst the brothers, a number of them would
usually take up the task in addition to their own. Urgaya now addressed
the assembly with serious intent:
"My dear brothers, you have
heard what Frabato has been asked to do. Is there one among you who would
like to exchange his task for Frabato's?"
Urgaya looked
inquiringly at the assembly of initiates, but there was no answer. The
question preyed on the minds of the Brothers of Light while Urgaya waited
motionless for a few moments longer. Then he looked at Frabato, kindly
saying:
"My dear brother, your task is difficult and I do
understand your objections. Its implementation, however, was ordered by
God for the coming time period; therefore it will have to be carried out
under any circumstances. Since you have almost always been a teacher in
your many incarnations and, without doubt, have always been one of the
most capable of all the brothers in this respect, I have chosen you for
this mission. You will be able to find the correct words in order to
explain to humankind the true laws of harmony and development towards
perfection. Many of the brothers present began with the path of
saintliness because they did not have a personal teacher and lacked the
necessary knowledge about the true magical paths. As you see, no one here
is prepared to accept your task; therefore I kindly ask you to carry out
this mission for the benefit of human evolution and to reveal the divine
wisdom."
In the meantime Frabato had begun to see the great
necessity of his task, and, though he was aware of the fact that there
would be great obstacles to overcome, he felt reassured and strengthened
by Urgaya's words.
"Honorable Master," he replied, bowing, "I
shall try to carry out this task as best I can."
After these words
a sigh of relief seemed to pass through the assembly, for no one would
have been pleased to take over this additional task.
Frabato
wanted to return to his seat but Urgaya motioned him to remain with him.
After a few moments Urgaya's face became transfigured. An extraordinary
phosphorescence illuminated his astral body, which grew more and more
transparent and ethereal.
Frabato knew that Urgaya was capable of
realizing the highest state of bliss and unification with Divine
Providence in his astral body. And, as if from a far distance, words which
were not Urgaya's sounded from the deepest innermost of the
incomprehensible light:
"Frabato, you are my loyal son and I love
you. I am pleased that you have accepted this task of publishing the true
magical initiation, although you are also burdened with a difficult karma.
It is well-known to you that those whose development is one-sided will
only be able to realize a part of My being within themselves. It is my
wish that everyone be given the opportunity to proceed along the path to
perfection. It must be possible for everyone to understand My being and to
obtain the knowledge of how, with the universal laws, I created the world.
Every human being must continue to be reincarnated here on earth until he
has achieved complete magical equilibrium within himself."
As
these words were spoken many of the brothers remembered their own past,
and how they had first traveled along the indirect path of saintliness,
thus developing in a onesided manner and being obliged, through successive
incarnations, to make up for what they lacked. Only those who had been
guided by a magician had been able to take the direct way to perfection.
God's voice continued to speak through Urgaya: "To accomplish your
task it is not advisable for you to work miracles in public. From now on
you shall no longer demonstrate your magical abilities in order to
convince people of the existence of higher powers and laws. When you
return to your body, you must change your strategy, and you will no doubt
succeed in doing so. I appreciate your work very much. In making My laws
public, you do not dishonor Me; rather, you will be showing humankind the
true path to Me. Every human being should be given the opportunity to
start on the way to initiation, to true, genuine perfection, beginning
from wherever his fate has put him.
"For the remainder of your
present life you are not to behave in any way like an initiate, and you
may use any means to disguise yourself when necessary so that no one will
know. Acquire all medical knowledge necessary so that there will be no
difference between you and a professional physician. Healing through the
Word will only cause attention and will make you unnecessary enemies. You
may, however, make use of the laws of the fifth pillar, the fifth page of
the Book of Wisdom, of alchemy, when healing people.
"You are
aware of the fact that the greater the mission, the greater will be the
resistance from the negative powers. They cannot attack you spiritually,
but due to the karma of this physical body which you have accepted, you
will have to face worries, sorrows, and misery. Many enemies will
persecute you, many diseases will afflict you, and your life will often be
in danger. The fate to which your earthly body is subjected will work
against you, because the negative entities know that you are a Brother of
Light, and they will attack you wherever there is an opportunity to do so.
If you accomplish this task well, you will have made another great
contribution to the development of humankind, and in the near future you
will be able to perform your teaching duties exclusively in the spiritual
world among highly developed students."
As these last words were
fading, Urgaya's figure reassumed its original appearance. Frabato knew
that Divine Providence had manifested itself and had spoken to him
directly through Urgaya. He was filled with overwhelming joy and, full of
confidence and energy for his future task, he thanked Divine Providence in
a silent prayer of reverence, vowing to accomplish his task loyally, no
matter how great the obstacles might be.
Urgaya looked at Frabato
with sincerity and, with a gesture of blessing, asked him to take his seat
among the brothers. Then Urgaya arose and lifted his hands to bless the
assembly of initiates, and said:
"Be blessed in the name of Divine
Providence for your voluntary assistance in the great work of human and
cosmic development. I am pleased that all of you have proven to be true
sons of God. I thank you and hereby close the assembly."
A short
time later the Brothers of Light left the temple, and Urgaya, who had
created it with the manifested power of his imagination, dissolved his
work again and retired into impenetrable and inaccessible regions.
Chapter
XI
Frabato returned to his earthly body, though any sleep
was understandably impossible after such a meeting. The day was dawning
and Frabato realized that he had been away for several hours. The events
of the assembly remained strongly imprinted in his mind.
In the
days that followed, he remained deeply concerned about his new mission,
and it became very difficult for him to concentrate on his daily routine.
Following the advice of Divine Providence, he soon began an intensive
study of medicine - though he also had to earn a living.
After
completing his studies, he devoted himself entirely to the healing arts,
and soon had a good reputation as a diagnostician and naturopath.
He hoped that the writing of the Book of Wisdom would be postponed
for an indefinite time, for the occult sciences were facing very difficult
days. Fearful that their own underhanded dealings would be brought out
into the open and opposed, the heads of state cruelly persecuted
supporters and practitioners of the occult sciences, as well as those who
wrote on the subject. Lodges and metaphysical societies were dissolved and
many of their members persecuted, arrested, and executed. Frabato, who was
not unknown in occult circles, suffered greatly under this increasing
oppression. Unfortunately, the physical body he had assumed was burdened
with a heavy karma. Like so many others, he was pulled into the escalating
hellish inferno. Sent to a concentration camp for three years, he shared
the fate of hundreds of thousands. Because he refused to place his magical
abilities at the disposal of the heads of state, he was exposed to great
humiliation and cruel tortures, which he endured with undaunted
steadfastness. With devastating power, the war - the likes of which the
world had seldom experienced before - raged on for six years.
Shortly before the end of the war, Frabato was sentenced to death,
but the concentration camp in which he was incarcerated was bombed before
the sentence could be carried out. Frabato was freed by some of his fellow
prisoners and escaped. Divine Providence had protected him and kept him
alive. Robbed of everything, marked with disease but freed from the chains
of prison, Frabato returned to his home country.
After
convalescing for a while, he at once started to work for his suffering
fellow man by using his extensive medical knowledge. Many people went to
see him - especially those deemed incurable by traditional medicine - and
he was able to heal them, either partly or completely, depending on what
was still possible within the parameters of their own karma. When it was
sometimes too late to rescue the earthly shell, he could only give
consolation with psychological therapy. It was due to his extraordinarily
successful treatments that the number of people who came to him for help
grew steadily, so that in the end he limited his practice exclusively to
those who were genuinely suffering. One night after a strenuous day,
Frabato sought a few hours of sleep for his body. But then Urgaya called
him by his spiritual name.
"What does this mean?" Frabato thought.
"This is not a meeting day. Perhaps I am to be reminded of my duties."
Without hesitation, he separated himself spiritually and astrally
from his physical body and, after having protected the latter against
demonic influences, he appeared before Urgaya the very next moment.
Frabato greeted the head of the Brothers of Light with a deep bow,
and Urgaya, sitting cross-legged on a small carpet in a grotto, responded
with a gesture of blessing. Frabato was alone with him. The surroundings
were illuminated only by a very dim light. The grotto was situated at the
foot of a high mountain, but any being of the cosmos who sought to find it
would search in vain, for Urgaya had made it visible only to those he
wanted to see.
"You are welcome, Frabato. Please sit down beside
me," Urgaya said, beckoning to a second carpet. Frabato thanked him and
did as he was requested. They spent a few minutes in silent prayer in
honor of Divine Providence, as was customary with the Brothers of Light
whenever they met. Then Urgaya turned his shining eyes on Frabato, saying:
"This is not an official meeting, but only an encounter between
the two of us. As you know, I only call for someone individually when I
think that help is necessary to accomplish a task or when I have to
reprimand someone. These, however, are not the reasons for my calling you.
It is something else. I have to thank you, in the name of Divine
Providence and the Brothers of Light, for your steadfastness and loyalty,
and especially for your observance of karmic law during the recent tragic
military conflicts. Divine Providence watches over you and protects you.
"One member of the Group of Twelve has dissolved his individuality
after accomplishing his mission and has returned to the Primordial Light.
His position has thus become vacant, and Divine Providence has authorized
me to transfer it to you. This means that you have been admitted to the
Council of Elders, and from now on you, like the other eleven brothers,
will occupy the highest rank a human being can achieve in the hierarchy of
initiates. Of course, you also accept all the obligations that are due to
the Light. There is no turning back for you. You may choose freely whether
you wish to relinquish your individuality and dissolve yourself in the
Primordial Light. However, Divine Providence hopes that you will continue
to work within the scope of cosmic development. I am very pleased that you
are now irrevocably connected with Divine Providence and that I have been
the one to give you the news."
Urgaya's words filled Frabato with
great emotion and joy, for acceptance to the Council of Elders was the
highest possible distinction.
"Sublime Master," Frabato answered,
"I thank you for this news. I am deeply moved that God has considered me
worthy to be accepted into the Council of Elders. It has always been an
honor for me to put my energy at the disposal of Divine Providence. The
progress of human development has always been my special interest."
Urgaya nodded benevolently and replied: "My dear brother, I
expected you to say this. Of all our brothers, you are among the most
mature, and I am pleased that you intend to serve humankind as an example
in the future as well. Surely you remember that you have been given the
task of revealing the first five pages of the Book of Wisdom? The time has
now come for this task to be realized. This is one of the reasons we are
meeting, and I must ask you to attach great importance to it."
Frabato's silent hope that Divine Providence might for some reason
release him from his task was now dashed. There was no way out: this
difficult assignment must be accomplished.
Urgaya noticed that
there was still some resistance on Frabato's part. Therefore, he tried to
explain the matter once more:
"Dear Frabato," he said, "the last
disastrous world war and the other current wars on earth have, during the
last few years, sent millions of people into the beyond, the zone girdling
the earth, and once again there have been many among them who, during
their stay on earth, were never given the opportunity to learn the true
laws of initiation. They have raised serious complaints in the spiritual
world, arguing that fate alone served as their teacher, for the path to
human freedom had been kept secret. Finally, to put an end to the
accusations, Divine Providence chose you to introduce, to all those who
love the truth and seek wisdom, the true spiritual sciences through a
corresponding literature. Though the negative forces will continue to put
severe obstacles in your way, I trust that Divine Providence will always
give you the support necessary to publish these mysteries. Be inspired
always with the desire to show your fellow man the way to true
perfection."
"Honorable Master," Frabato tried to object, "when I
publish the mysteries of magic my true identity cannot be concealed from
people. Many who read my books will sooner or later discover that I belong
to another level of development. They will want me to give evidence of my
art. They will come to me with their material concerns and will ask me to
arrange matters favorably in accordance with their wishes. Sublime Master,
it was you yourself who, during our last meeting, imposed upon me the duty
of keeping my spiritual maturity a secret by any means. How am I to
conceal my identity when I am asked to reveal the secret mysteries?"
Urgaya seemed to have been anticipating the question, for he
answered with a delicate smile:
"My dear brother, as far as I know
you have managed quite well with every being you have encountered in our
cosmos over thousands of years. Therefore, I am convinced that your
knowledge of methods and appropriate behavior is sufficient, and I need
not give you any detailed advice. Through the publication of the path of
magic, people will assume that you are an initiate, and you need not deny
this fact to your readers. You must not consider this a breach of silence,
but as part of your mission. Divine Providence will send you the people
whom you really should help. You will, no doubt, find the right words for
the curious and the sensation seekers. You will show those who are
unafraid of knowledge the right way to educate themselves so as to be able
to cope with any situation that is part of their destiny. You should not
use your magical abilities to convince people: those who need to be
convinced in order to believe are not yet sufficiently mature for the path
of magic. Such people are incapable of taking the reins of their fate into
their own hands with their own power, and therefore they still need fate
for a teacher. On the other hand, there will also be those of serious
intent who are striving for truth, and they will come to you for advice.
You will certainly not refuse them your help when they question you
concerning their own spiritual development.
"Dear Frabato, even if
only a few people on earth should now succeed in achieving the necessary
maturity for initiation through diligence, endurance, and hard work, your
task will have been accomplished. Those who merely enrich their
intellectual knowledge through your writings and decide to remain with
theory alone in their present incarnation will be given the opportunity to
begin the practical work during their next lifetime. "Your writings will
find their way over the entire world. With time, seekers of truth and
wisdom will become familiar with them. However, no one will be able to
harvest the fruits of wisdom without a serious search, and Divine
Providence will see to it that those who are mature enough to understand
the content of these writings will in fact receive them. Then the
complaints of the deceased in the zone girdling the earth will cease,
because no one will be able to assert that the path to the spiritual world
was not accessible to him."
Urgaya's impressive words had made the
necessity of his task clear to Frabato once again. "Sublime Master," he
addressed Urgaya, "what you have just said has convinced me completely and
definitely, and I shall carry out my task loyally. May Divine Providence
protect the mysteries, for I am only fulfilling your request."
Urgaya thanked Frabato, gave him a few more instructions
concerning his mission, and then dismissed him with a blessing. Frabato
said farewell to the chief of the Brotherhood of Light by bowing deeply,
and then disappeared from the grotto. Having returned to his physical
body, sleep was the farthest thing from his mind as he thought for a long
time about how to implement his mission.
He began to make his task
manifest soon thereafter. Fully confident in Divine Providence, he carried
out his assignment to the best of his knowledge and belief. Written in
common language, divine wisdom found its way into the world, illuminating
the way especially for those whose longing for true knowledge is great and
who have realized that the paths to spiritual perfection have indeed been
revealed to them through Frabato's writings.
- The End -
Epilogue
I have portrayed the life of an initiate in the form of a
novel. He who can read between the lines will recognize valuable,
practical, and scientific concepts in some of the chapters.
This
novel demonstrates the effects of good and evil. The important thing is:
everything in this story is true. All the events related herein serve to
instruct the reader, in an entertaining manner, that he ought not to think
of everyone who is unfriendly, or who does not think good thoughts, or who
threatens his reputation as being a black magician. The disadvantages of
destiny cannot always be attributed to the effects of black magic.
For the sake of information, let it be said that a true black
magician is interested only in those who are spiritually highly evolved,
and who have attained a certain level of esoteric development. Black
magicians turn their attention only to such individuals, and attempt to
influence them in some way. The black magician is never concerned with
trifles - for example, making a cow unable to produce milk. Only those who
have little or no knowledge in this area of esoteric studies entertain
such superstitions.
By the same token, this book is not meant to
be an advertisement for any association or lodge which, through exotic and
abstract names, tries to obtain ignorant members who, consequently, become
victims of constant oppression. I shall refrain here from naming any
lodges which do not teach the true sciences.
The Brothers of Light
concerning whom I have written in this book are not a worldly organization
and do not have a residence on earth. They constitute an association of
mature souls who meet only in the super-terrestrial zones.
Anyone
who has mastered the practice of the first three pages of the Book of
Wisdom may enter this Brotherhood. Whoever has achieved this level draws
the attention of the Brothers of Light to himself effortlessly.
I
sincerely wish all the very best to those who are interested in and
possess my books.
The Author
In
Memoriam
Although the following information will sadden the
interested reader, I consider it my duty to inform the public that Franz
Bardon is no longer with us in the physical body.
On July 10th,
1958, Divine Providence allowed his perfected spirit to leave the earthly
shell of the body which had served for his mission. Master Bardon left his
body forever under unusual circumstances, as have so many high initiates
on earth. It is known to but a few that a high initiate such as Franz
Bardon does not endure the entire normal development of an incarnation, as
do the other inhabitants of earth. His is a perfect spirit, and he needs
to accept a human form only when Divine Providence entrusts him with a new
mission. In order to convey a rough idea of such a spirit to the reader, I
will give a brief account of the author's life as far as I am informed
about it.
Franz Bardon mentions, in his novel Frabato, that he had
embodied himself in the body of a fourteen-year-old boy in order to become
the spiritual teacher of the boy's father, Viktor Bardon. Viktor Bardon
was engaged in Christian mysticism and, owing to his persistence and
piety, he later advanced to the level of clairvoyance. But despite his
clairvoyance, he could not achieve the goal that he longed for so much -
he could not reach his spiritual goal of becoming more closely connected
with God, because he lacked further relevant training in the field.
Therefore he included in his fervent prayers the sublime wish that he
might meet a true guru during his present incarnation, in order to hear
his teachings and accept them.
His noble yearning did not remain
unfulfilled. Frabato's spirit was embodied in the only son that Viktor
Bardon had (in addition to his twelve daughters), and, as the oldest
child, he was to become his father's true guru, quite apart from the
mission that Divine Providence had assigned to him. When this wonderful
exchange took place one night, no one except the clairvoyant Viktor Bardon
noticed, and he thanked God sincerely for this blessing. From that day on
he had a personal guru in his own son and appreciated this very much. Only
a perfect and high initiate like the spirit of Franz Bardon can dare to
and succeed in doing something like this - borrowing a body to complete
not just one mission, but a number of them. The choice and acceptance of a
body which has already reached puberty is subject to a number of
conditions; i.e. as compensation, its new inhabitant must allot another
and more favorable existence to the original owner, somewhere in a
mother's womb. Besides this, the initiate must accept the borrowed body's
karma as his own, regardless of what that may be, and that karma must
under all circumstances be equilibrated.
Because the karma of his
body's original owner was heavily burdened, Franz Bardon, in spite of his
spiritual perfection and high adepthood, had to endure much before being
able to correct it. To mention a few examples for the reader's
information, I should like to point out his numerous struggles for
existence, his numerous arrests and his three and a half years in a
concentration camp - during which he had to endure the most cruel and
bitter events and the greatest humiliations of his life. Also, the last
few months of his life were overshadowed by extremely unpleasant
circumstances which finally put an end to his blessed work. The acceptance
of such an incarnation should be the greatest proof for all of us
regarding the generosity of Franz Bardon's spirit in remaining at all
times in human form.
These brief accounts will make it clear to
the reader why a great spirit, whose extraordinary abilities came close to
the might of Divine Providence, nevertheless had to endure many unpleasant
experiences, without wincing, although it was possible for him to render
his persecutors instantly harmless with a mere gesture of his hand. It is
the same with the fates of other human beings, wherein Divine Providence
allows no one, not even an initiate or a chosen one, to interfere.
Therefore it is only a matter of human ignorance when people describe the
proceedings of destiny as unjust, and consider the true initiate an
incapable human being simply because he loyally adheres to the
commandments of Divine Providence and therefore does not wish to fulfill
anyone's foolish desires. I have refrained from describing the usual
details of Franz Bardon's career such as his schooling, his vocation and
his professional life, assuming that the account I have given is more
important and instructive to the interested reader and student of Hermetic
sciences. Those who had the good fortune to meet Franz Bardon personally
know very well that one of our best has left us. True students of
Hermetics still regard Franz Bardon as their great guru, whether he is in
the flesh or not. His spiritual greatness is timeless. Those who are
seriously and practically engaged in the scientific writings of Franz
Bardon but who never met him personally or who only knew him for a very
short time will get an idea of his spiritual greatness when I give them
the names of a number of personalities from different ages whose physical
bodies were inhabited by the same great spirit - by the spirit of Hermes
Trismegistos whose Book of Wisdom, called Thoth, contains the
seventy-eight Tarot cards, and who is certainly known to every occultist.
Therefore, no one will be surprised by the leitmotiv that Mr. Bardon chose
for his first book, Initiation Into Hermetics. Lao-tse, the Chinese sage
and scientist, is also known to all philosophers; the same is true of the
French astrologer Nostradamus, the English scholar Robert Fludd, and the
Comte de Saint-Germain. We also find Franz Bardon's spirit in Apollonius
of Tyana, a contemporary of Christ. In the incarnation before his last he
was embodied in Tibet as Mahum Tah-Ta, the wise man of the mountains.
After Franz Bardon's physical departure, thousands of people all
over the world missed their savior, advisor, and supporter in many moments
of need. His dedicated and benevolent work deserves full recognition and
appreciation and should always be remembered thankfully.
We who
know that there is no such thing as death cherish the wish that Divine
Providence may grant us the grace of meeting this high initiate, in
whatever form or personage he may be embodied, during one of our future
incarnations.
Prague, September 1958 Otti Votavova (April 11,
1903 - February 9, 1973)
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