flatness　of　frontal；　the　tapering　elegance　of　contour　disguising
  the　strength　of　the　deadly　jaw；　the　long；　large；　terrible　eye；
  glittering　and　green　as　the　emerald；and　withal　a　certain　ruthless
  calm；　as　if　from　the　consciousness　of　an　immense　power。
  Mechanically　I　turned　round　the　miniature　to　examine　the　back　of
  it；　and　on　the　back　was　engraved　a　pentacle；　in　the　middle　of　the
  pentacle　a　ladder；　and　the　third　step　of　the　ladder　was　formed　by
  the　date　1765。　　Examining　still　more　minutely；　I　detected　a　spring；
  this；　on　being　pressed；　opened　the　back　of　the　miniature　as　a　lid。
  Within…side　the　lid　were　engraved；　〃Marianna　to　thee。　　Be　faithful
  in　life　and　in　death　to　。〃　　Here　follows　a　name　that　I　will　not
  mention；　but　it　was　not　unfamiliar　to　me。　　I　had　heard　it　spoken　of
  by　old　men　in　my　childhood　as　the　name　borne　by　a　dazzling
  charlatan　who　had　made　a　great　sensation　in　London　for　a　year　or
  so；　and　had　fled　the　country　on　the　charge　of　a　double　murder
  within　his　own　house；that　of　his　mistress　and　his　rival。　　I　said
  nothing　of　this　to　Mr。　J；　to　whom　reluctantly　I　resigned　the
  miniature。
  We　had　found　no　difficulty　in　opening　the　first　drawer　within　the
  iron　safe；　we　found　great　difficulty　in　opening　the　second：　it　was
  not　locked；　but　it　resisted　all　efforts；　till　we　inserted　in　the
  chinks　the　edge　of　a　chisel。　　When　we　had　thus　drawn　it　forth；　we
  found　a　very　singular　apparatus　in　the　nicest　order。　　Upon　a　small；
  thin　book；　or　rather　tablet；　was　placed　a　saucer　of　crystal；　this
  saucer　was　filled　with　a　clear　liquid；on　that　liquid　floated　a
  kind　of　compass；　with　a　needle　shifting　rapidly　round；　but　instead
  of　the　usual　points　of　a　compass　were　seven　strange　characters；　not
  very　unlike　those　used　by　astrologers　to　denote　the　planets。　　A
  peculiar　but　not　strong　nor　displeasing　odor　came　from　this　drawer；
  which　was　lined　with　a　wood　that　we　afterwards　discovered　to　be
  hazel。　　Whatever　the　cause　of　this　odor；　it　produced　a　material
  effect　on　the　nerves。　　We　all　felt　it；　even　the　two　workmen　who
  were　in　the　room；a　creeping；　tingling　sensation　from　the　tips　of
  the　fingers　to　the　roots　of　the　hair。　　Impatient　to　examine　the
  tablet；　I　removed　the　saucer。　　As　I　did　so　the　needle　of　the
  compass　went　round　and　round　with　exceeding　swiftness；　and　I　felt　a
  shock　that　ran　through　my　whole　frame；　so　that　I　dropped　the　saucer
  on　the　floor。　　The　liquid　was　spilled；　the　saucer　was　broken；　the
  compass　rolled　to　the　end　of　the　room；　and　at　that　instant　the
  walls　shook　to　and　fro；　as　if　a　giant　had　swayed　and　rocked　them。
  The　two　workmen　were　so　frightened　that　they　ran　up　the　ladder　by
  which　we　had　descended　from　the　trapdoor；　but　seeing　that　nothing
  more　happened；　they　were　easily　induced　to　return。
  Meanwhile　I　had　opened　the　tablet：　it　was　bound　in　plain　red
  leather；　with　a　silver　clasp；　it　contained　but　one　sheet　of　thick
  vellum；　and　on　that　sheet　were　inscribed；　within　a　double　pentacle；
  words　in　old　monkish　Latin；　which　are　literally　to　be　translated
  thus：　〃On　all　that　it　can　reach　within　these　walls；　sentient　or
  inanimate；　living　or　dead；　as　moves　the　needle；　so　works　my　will！
  Accursed　be　the　house；　and　restless　be　the　dwellers　therein。〃
  We　found　no　more。　　Mr。　J　burned　the　tablet　and　its　anathema。
  He　razed　to　the　foundations　the　part　of　the　building　containing　the
  secret　room　with　the　chamber　over　it。　　He　had　then　the　courage　to
  inhabit　the　house　himself　for　a　month；　and　a　quieter；　better…
  conditioned　house　could　not　be　found　in　all　London。　　Subsequently
  he　let　it　to　advantage；　and　his　tenant　has　made　no　complaints。
  A　drowning　man　clutching　at　a　strawsuch　is　Dr。　Fenwick；　hero　of
  Bulwer…Lytton's　〃Strange　Story〃　when　he　determines　to　lend　himself
  to　alleged　〃magic〃　in　the　hope　of　saving　his　suffering　wife　from
  the　physical　dangers　which　have　succeeded　her　mental　disease。　　The
  proposition　has　been　made　to　him　by　Margrave；　a　wanderer　in　many
  countries；　who　has　followed　the　Fenwicks　from　England　to　Australia。
  Margrave　declares　that　he　needs　an　accomplice　to　secure　an　〃elixir
  of　life〃　which　his　own　failing　strength　demands。　　His　mysterious
  mesmeric　or　hypnotic　influence　over　Mrs。　Fenwick　had　in　former　days
  been　marked；　and　on　the　basis　of　this　undeniable　fact；　he　has
  endeavored　to　show　that　his　own　welfare　and　Mrs。　Fenwick's　are；　in
  some　occult　fashion；　knit　together；　and　that　only　by　aiding　him　in
  some　extraordinary　experiment　can　the　physician　snatch　his　beloved
  Lilian　from　her　impending　doom。
  As　the　first　chapter　opens；　Fenwick　is　learning　his　wife's
  condition　from　his　friend；　Dr。　Faber。
  Bulwer…Lytton
  The　Incantation
  I
  〃I　believe　that　for　at　least　twelve　hours　there　will　be　no　change
  in　her　state。　　I　believe　also　that　if　she　recover　from　it；　calm　and
  refreshed；　as　from　a　sleep；　the　danger　of　death　will　have　passed
  away。〃
  〃And　for　twelve　hours　my　presence　would　be　hurtful？〃
  〃Rather　say　fatal；　if　my　diagnosis　be　right。〃
  I　wrung　my　friend's　hand；　and　we　parted。
  Oh；　to　lose　her　now；　now　that　her　love　and　her　reason　had　both
  returned；　each　more　vivid　than　before！　　Futile；　indeed；　might　be
  Margrave's　boasted　secret；　but　at　least　in　that　secret　was　hope。
  In　recognized　science　I　saw　only　despair。
  And　at　that　thought　all　dread　of　this　mysterious　visitor　vanished
  all　anxiety　to　question　more　of　his　attributes　or　his　history。　　His
  life　itself　became　to　me　dear　and　precious。　　What　if　it　should　fail
  me　in　the　steps　of　the　process；　whatever　that　was；　by　which　the
  life　of　my　Lilian　might　be　saved！
  The　shades　of　evening　were　now　closing　in。　　I　remembered　that　I　had
  left　Margrave　without　even　food　for　many　hours。　　I　stole　round　to
  the　back　of　the　house；　filled　a　basket　with　elements　more　generous
  than　those　of　the　former　day；　extracted　fresh　drugs　from　my　stores；
  and；　thus　laden；　hurried　back　to　the　hut。　　I　found　Margrave　in　the
  room　below；　seated　on　his　mysterious　coffer；　leaning　his　face　on
  his　hand。　　When　I　entered；　he　looked　up；　and　said：
  〃You　have　neglected　me。　　My　strength　is　waning。　　Give　me　more　of
  the　cordial；　for　we　have　work　before　us　tonight；　and　I　need
  support。〃
  He　took　for　granted　my　assent　to　his　wild　experiment；　and　he　was
  right。
  I　administered　the　cordial。　　I　placed　food　before　him；　and　this
  time　he　did　not　eat　with　repugnance。　　I　poured　out　wine；　and　he
  drank　it　sparingly；　but　with　ready　compliance；　saying；　〃In　perfect
  health；　I　looked　upon　wine　as　poison；　now　it　is　like　a　foretaste　of
  the　glorious　elixir。〃
  After　he　had　thus　recruited　himself；　he　seemed　to　acquire　an　energy
  that　startlingly　contrasted　with　his　languor　the　day　before；　the
  effort　of　breathing　was　scarcely　perceptible；　the　color　came　back
  to　his　cheeks；　his　bended　frame　rose　elastic　and　erect。
  〃If　I　understood　you　rightly；〃　said　I；　〃the　experiment　you　ask　me
  to　aid　can　be　accomplished　in　a　single　night？〃
  〃In　a　single　nightthis　night。〃
  〃Command　me。　　Why　not　begin　at　once？　　What　apparatus　or　chemical
  agencies　do　you　need？〃
  〃Ah！〃　said　Margrave。　　〃Formerly；　how　I　was　misled！　　Formerly；　how
  my　conjectures　blundered！　　I　thought；　when　I　asked　you　to　give　a
  month　to　the　experiment　I　wish　to　make；　that　I　should　need　the
  subtlest　skill　of　the　chemist。　　I　then　believed；　with　Van　Helmont；
  that　the　principle　of　life　is　a　gas；　and　that　the　secret　was　but　in
  the　mode　by　which　the　gas　might　be　rightly　administered。　　But　now；
  all　that　I　need　is　contained　in　this　coffer；　save　one　very　simple
  materialfuel　sufficient　for　a　steady　fire　for　six　hours。　　I　see
  even　that　is　at　hand；　piled　up　in　your　outhouse。　　And　now　for　the
  substance　itselfto　that　you　must　guide　me。〃
  〃Explain。〃
  〃Near　this　very　spot　is　there　not　goldin　mines　yet　undiscovered
  and　gold　of　the　purest　metal？〃
  〃There　is。　　What　then？　　Do　you；　with　the　alchemists；　blend　in　one
  discovery；　gold　and　life？〃
  〃No。　　But　it　is　only　where　the　chemistry　of　earth　or　of　man
  produces　gold；　that　the　substance　from　which　the　great　pabulum　of
  life　is　extracted　by　ferment　can　be　found。　　Possibly；　in　the
  attempts　at　that　transmutation　of　metals；　which　I　think　your　own
  great　chemist；　Sir　Humphry　Davy；　allowed　might　be　possible；　but
  held　not　to　be　worth　the　cost　of　the　processpossibly；　in　those
  attempts；　some　scanty　grains　of　this　substance　were　found　by　the
  alchemists；　in　the　crucible；　with　grains　of　the　metal　as　niggardly
  yielded　by　pitiful　mimicry　of　Nature's　stupendous　laboratory；　and
  from　such　grains　enough　of　the　essence　might；　perhaps；　have　been
  drawn　forth；　to　add　a　few　years　of　existence　to　some　feeble
  graybeardgranting；　what　rests　on　no　proofs；　that　some　of　the
  alchemists　reached　an　age　rarely　given　to　man。　　But　it　is　not　in
  the　miserly　crucible；　it　is　in　the　matrix　of　Nature　herself；　that
  we　must　seek　in　prolific　abundance　Nature's　grand　principlelife。
  As　the　loadstone　is　rife　with　the　mag