"And what did he say about me?"
"He said that all the intelligence of our party was centred in one person."
"Well?"
"And that the initials of the person in question were I. M."
"Now, Jack."
"Sir."
"You two boys are conspiring against me."
"You are rather hard upon us, sir," said Harry Girdwood, with an injured look.
"Was I? Dear me, I didn"t mean that," said poor Mole. "But I"ll go and see this wizard, as you call him."
"It might startle you, sir."
"Stuff and nonsense, Harry; my nerves are iron--iron, I tell you."
"They had need be of steel, if you really mean to go."
"I"ll go, and you shall go with me, Harry," said Mr. Mole; "and I"ll unmask this wretched impostor before you."
And down came his clenched fist upon the table, with a fierceness and energy which made all the things leap up.
The chamber of mystery was arranged with a keen eye to effect.
The present possessors of the place had preserved all the adjuncts which had looked so effective during the career of the necromancer, who had fled ignominiously.
A huge stuffed alligator swung from the ceiling, and the lighting of the room was effected by means of two or three swinging lamps, that burnt dimly blue, and made the place look sepulchral enough to satisfy the most morbid cravings for the horrible.
At the further end of the room was a "charmed circle," drawn with chalk, and set around it was a row of hideous grinning skulls, which suggested that a hint had been borrowed from Zamiel, in "Der Freyschutz."
Besides these matters, there were several skeletons stuck up in the most alarming att.i.tudes.
Beside the chair was a large oval frame.
Upon the other side of the necromancer"s chair was a heavy curtain, or _portiere_ of cloth, covered with fantastic figures, and this was drawn aside a minute or so after Mr. Mole and Harry Girdwood appeared.
Then, through the dark aperture thus disclosed, the wizard hobbled in.
Not the wizard that we have seen before, but a little old man bent half double with age, and of whom little was to be seen save a long white beard and an appropriate robe.
He leant heavily upon a staff, and sank into his chair with evident pain and difficulty.
"What would ye with me?" said the necromancer, in feeble, querulous tones. "If ye have come to scoff again, begone ere I summon an evil spirit to blight ye."
Mr. Mole said nothing.
But when Harry Girdwood placed his hand nervously upon the old gentleman"s arm, as if for protection, he felt that he was trembling slightly.
"He knows that we are English, you see," whispered Harry.
"Ye-es--ahem!--ye-es."
"Do you hear me?" said the wizard.
"Ye-es, oh, yes, sir," said Mr. Mole, who could not, for the life of him, get his voice above a whisper.
"Then answer."
"By all means! decidedly--quite so, I a.s.sure you."
"What? Beware! Do you mean to doubt and mock?"
"Oh, dear; yes."
"Hah!"
"That is, no. I really don"t know what I am saying."
"Silence, or the fiends will have your ber-lud ber-lud--Do you hear me?" shrieked the old wizard.
"Quite so. Dear, dear me, Harry," said Mr. Mole in an undertone, "what a very remarkable person, and I don"t want to lose my ber-lud."
"What do you say now, sir? Do you feel sure that he is a humbug?"
"Of course not, but--"
At this juncture their conversation was cut short by a low, rumbling noise, that sounded like distant thunder.
As it continued, it increased in strength, until it became absolutely deafening.
Then suddenly upon a sign from the necromancer, it ceased, and the man of mystery arose and pointed menacingly with his wand at Mole.
"Ye have thought well to neglect my warning," he said, in a voice which thrilled poor Mole strangely; "the secrets of your inmost heart are known to me as to my familiar, and the penalty must be enacted."
Mole bounced up.
"Goodness me!"
Harry Girdwood laid a trembling hand upon the unhappy old gentleman, and played the part of Job"s comforter once again with considerable effect.
"We are lost."