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men with greed and evil on their faceswho hated the bonds of
righteous doing； and set their hearts on sin。 The evening came； the
glorious Figure mounted the throne and called to prayer； but none
bowed themselves in adoration。
〃We are aweary of thee！〃 they cried。 〃Make Evil King！ Slay him！ slay
him！ and loose the bonds of Evil！ Make Evil King！〃
The glorious Shape rose up； gazing with mild eyes upon those wicked
men。
〃Ye know not what ye ask；〃 he cried； 〃but as ye will； so be it！ For if
I die； by me； after much travail； shall ye once again find a path to
the Kingdom of Good！〃
Even as he spoke； a Form； foul and hideous to behold； leapt upon him；
cursing； slew him； tore him limb from limb； and amidst the clamour of
the people sat himself upon the throne and ruled。 But a Shape whose
face was veiled passed down from heaven on shadowy wings； and with
lamentations gathered up the rent fragments of the Being。 A moment she
bent herself upon them； then lifted up her hands and wept。 And as she
wept； behold！ from her side there sprang a warrior armed and with a
face like the face of Ra at noon。 He； the Avenger； hurled himself with
a shout upon the Monster who had usurped the throne； and they closed
in battle； and； struggling ever in a strait embrace； passed upward to
the skies。
Then came picture after picture。 I saw Powers and Peoples clad in
various robes and speaking many tongues。 I saw them pass and pass in
millionsloving； hating； struggling； dying。 Some few were happy and
some had woe stamped upon their faces； but most bore not the seal of
happiness nor of woe； but rather that of patience。 And ever as they
passed from age to age； high above in the heavens the Avenger fought
on with the Evil Thing； while the scale of victory swung now here now
there。 But neither conquered； nor was it given to me to know how the
battle ended。
And I understood that what I had beheld was the holy vision of the
struggle between the Good and the Evil Powers。 I saw that man was
created vile； but Those who are above took pity on him； and came down
to him to make him good and happy； for the two things are one thing。
But man returned to his wicked way； and then the bright Spirit of
Good； who is of us called Osiris； but who has many names； offered
himself up for the evil…doing of the race that had dethroned him。 And
from him and the Divine Mother； of whom all nature is； sprang another
spirit who is the Protector of us on earth； as Osiris is our justifier
in Amenti。
For this is the mystery of the Osiris。
Of a sudden； as I saw the visions； these things became clear to me。
The mummy cloths of symbol and of ceremony that wrap Osiris round fell
from him； and I understood the secret of religion； which is Sacrifice。
The pictures passed； and again the priest； my guide； spoke to me。
〃Hast thou understood； Harmachis； those things which it has been
granted thee to see？〃
〃I have；〃 I said。 〃Are the rites ended？〃
〃Nay； they are but begun。 That which follows thou must endure alone！
Behold I leave thee； to return at the morning light。 Once more I warn
thee。 That which thou shalt see； few may look upon and live。 In all my
days I have known but three who dared to face this dread hour； and of
those three at dawn but one was found alive。 Myself； I have not trod
this path。 It is too high for me。〃
〃Depart；〃 I said； 〃my soul is athirst for knowledge。 I will dare it。〃
He laid his hand upon my shoulder and blessed me。 He went。 I heard the
door shut to behind him； the echoes of his footsteps slowly died away。
Then I felt that I was alone； alone in the Holy Place with Things
which are not of the earth。 Silence fellsilence deep and black as
the darkness which was around me。 The silence fell； it gathered as the
cloud gathered on the face of the moon that night when； a lad； I
prayed upon the pylon towers。 It gathered denser and yet more dense
till it seemed to creep into my heart and call aloud therein； for
utter silence has a voice that is more terrible than any cry。 I spoke；
the echoes of my words came back upon me from the walls and seemed to
beat me down。 The stillness was lighter to endure than an echo such as
this。 What was I about to see？ Should I die； even now； in the fulness
of my youth and strength？ Terrible were the warnings that had been
given to me。 I was fear…stricken； and bethought me that I would fly。
Fly！fly whither？ The temple door was barred； I could not fly。 I was
alone with the Godhead； alone with the Power that I had invoked。 Nay；
my heart was puremy heart was pure。 I would face the terror that was
to come； ay； even though I died。
〃Isis； Holy Mother；〃 I prayed。 〃Isis； Spouse of Heaven； come unto me；
be with me now； I faint！ be with me now。〃
And then I knew that things were not as things had been。 The air
around me began to stir； it rustled as the wings of eagles rustle； it
took life。 Bright eyes gazed upon me； strange whispers shook my soul。
Upon the darkness were bars of light。 They changed and interchanged；
they moved to and fro and wove mystic symbols which I could not read。
Swifter and swifter flew that shuttle of the light： the symbols
grouped； gathered； faded； gathered yet again； faster and still more
fast； till my eyes could count them no more。 Now I was afloat upon a
sea of glory； it surged and rolled； as the ocean rolls； it tossed me
high； it brought me low。 Glory was piled on glory； splendour heaped on
splendour's head； and I rode above it all！
Soon the lights began to pale in the rolling sea of air。 Great shadows
shot across it； lines of darkness pierced it and rushed together on
its breast； till； at length； I was only a Shape of Flame set like a
star on the bosom of immeasurable night。 Bursts of awful music
gathered from far away。 Miles and miles away I heard them； thrilling
faintly through the gloom。 On they came； nearer and more near； louder
and more loud； till they swept past； above； below； around me； swept on
rushing pinions； terrifying and enchanting me。 They floated by； ever
growing fainter； till they died in space。 Then others came； and no two
were akin。 Some rattled as ten thousand sistra shaken all to tune。
Some rank from the brazen throats of unnumbered clarions。 Some pealed
with a loud； sweet chant of voices that were more than human； and some
rolled along in the slow thunder of a million drums。 They passed；
their notes were lost in dying echoes； and the silence once more
pressed in upon me and overcame me。
The strength within me began to fail。 I felt my life ebbing at its
springs。 Death drew near to me and his shape was /Silence/。 He entered
at my heart； entered with a sense of numbing cold； but my brain was
still alive； I could yet think。 I knew that I was drawing near the
confines of the Dead。 Nay； I was dying fast； and oh； the horror of it！
I strove to pray and could not； there was no more time for prayer。 One
struggle and the stillness crept into my brain。 The terror passed； an
unfathomable weight of sleep pressed me down。 I was dying； I was
dying； and thennothingness！
/I was dead！/
A changelife came back to me； but between the new life and the life
that had been was a gulf and difference。 Once again I stood in the
darkness of the shrine； but it blinded me no more。 It was clear as the
light of day； although it still was black。 I stood； and yet it was not
I who stood； but rather my spiritual part； for at my feet lay my dead
Self。 There it lay； rigid and still； a stamp of awful calm sealed upon
its face； while I gazed on it。
And as I gazed； filled with wonder； I was caught up on the Wings of
Flame and whirled away！ away！ faster than the lightnings flash。 Down I
fell； through depths of empty space set here and there with glittering
crowns of stars。 Down for ten million miles and ten times ten million；
till at length I hovered over a place of soft； unchanging light；
wherein were Temples； Palaces； and Abodes； such as no man ever saw in
the visions of his sleep。 They were built of Flame； and they were
built of Blackness。 Their spires pierced up and up； their great courts
stretched around。 Even as I hovered they changed continually to the
eye； what was Flame became Blackness； what was Blackness became Flame。
Here was the flash of crystal； and there the blaze of gems shone even
through the glory that rolls around the city which is in the Place of
Death。 There were trees； and their voice as they rustled was the voice
of music； there was air； and； as it blew； its breath was the sobbing
notes of song。
Shapes； changing； mysterious； wonderful； rushed up to meet me； and
bore me down till I seemed to stand upon another earth。
〃Who comes？〃 cried a great Voice。
〃Harmachis；〃 answered the Shapes； that changed continually。 〃Harmachis
who hath been summoned from the earth to look upon the face of Her
that Was and Is and Shall Be。 Harmachis； Child of Earth！〃
〃T