“Send the couriers from the lands of the Mayax and of Mexi to me in the early morning. I will have all their sayings engrossed on parchment and read in the temple. “Let our brethren know this.” After a deep sleep of exhaustion, Yermah arose at early dawn and went into the private sanctuary. Before he crossed its portals his attention was attracted by a ray of light near his feet. Looking closely, he saw it was a pentagram graven on mica. It had two points on the side toward him, and placed so—it was a charm to repel evil. Picking it up, he noticed that the reverse side had a circle for the sun, a crescent for the moon, a winged caduceus for Mercury, a sword for Mars, a hieroglyph for Venus, and a scythe for Saturn. The glyph was in the center, and interlaced with it was the word “Azoth.” A scrap of paper catching the Dorado’s eye, he stooped and picked up Akaza’s will. After giving minute directions about finding the manuscript and sacred relics hidden in the cave at Ingharep, it said: I who am old and weary of the world sink into its dust. But I swear by him who sleeps at Aision that never did I not exist, nor will any one of us hereafter cease to be—though in this body thou wilt never see me again. Farewell, my beloved! When thou hast mastered the pentagram, that sublime figure whose geometrical form connects the five senses of man with the throne of creative power, thou wilt fully realize that that which we hold as evil is in reality the greatest good. Farewell, beloved! Treasure the five-pointed star, and meditate continually upon its teachings. Fear not. The promise to return to thy native land shall be made good to thee when the times and seasons are propitious. When the inner spirit prompts thee, go. Thou wilt find a pentagram of similar make in the right spot. Let the seal of silence be on thy lips. May thy courage wax and grow strong as a lion. Though absent from the body, yet I am with thee always. Thou art my successor in all things. Wear the mantle of authority as if the All-seeing Eye were bent upon thee continually. Farewell, my best beloved! May that formless entity whose presence is everywhere felt, yet never comprehended, guide and bless thee always. AKAZA THE HERMAPHRODITE.[14] Trying to fully realize that Akaza had crossed the boundary line between the two worlds, Yermah passed into the sanctuary. But before he knelt he saw a tiny white square lying on the altar. He had only to glance at it to recognize the broken threads and entangled mesh of Kerœcia’s weave. Some thoughtful hand had placed it there. He carried it to his lips reverently and examined it curiously. It was water-stained and wrinkled from compression in a pocket, but he divined that she had sent it to him by Ben Hu Barabe. Some time, when he could bear to speak of it, he would make inquiry—but not now! “O God!—not now!” He sank down before the statue.