Guy Boothby

“ Each will claim the privilege of being right, and each will want you to believe exactly as he does. But at the same time we must remember, if we would be quite fair, that there are not wanting scientists, admittedly the cleverest men of the day, who assert that, while all our friends agree that there is a life after death—a spirit world, in fact—they are all wrong. If you will allow me to give you my own idea of what you think, I should say that your opinion is, that when you've done with the solid flesh that makes up Wilfred Bruce it doesn't much matter what happens. ”

“ Next moment, without any warning, an enormous cat, black as his master's coat, leapt down from somewhere on to the floor, and stood swishing his tail before us.
“There are some people in the world,” said Nikola calmly, at the same time stroking the great beast's soft back, “who would endeavour to convince you that this cat is my familiar spirit, and that, with his assistance, I work all sorts of extraordinary magic. ”

“ Nikola laughed softly, and pressed the tips of his long white fingers together.
“Now tell me truthfully what you think of my cat?” said he.
“One might be excused if one endowed him with Satanic attributes,” I answered.
“And yet, though you think it so wonderful, it is only because I have subjected him to a curious form of education. Do you know, Mr. Bruce, I should be very interested to find out exactly how far you think the human intelligence can go; that is to say, how far you think it can penetrate into the regions of what is generally called the occult?” ”

“ His face is clean shaven, and is always deadly pale, a sort of toad-skin paleness that is worse than any other lack of colour. His eyes and hair are as black as night, and he is as neat and natty as a new pin. When he is watching you he seems to be looking through the back of your head into the wall behind, and when he speaks you've just got to pay attention, whether you want to or not. All things considered, the less I see of him the better I shall like him.”
“But what on earth can he want with me?”
“He's Apollyon himself,” laughed Barkston, “and wants a maître d'hôtel. ”

“ But let us suppose that Wilfred Bruce, or his mind, shall we say—that part of him at any rate which is anxious, which thinks and which suffers—is destined to exist afterwards through endless æons, a prey to continual remorse for all misdeeds: how would he regard death then?”
“But you've got to prove that he does so continue to exist,” I said.
“That's exactly what I desire and intend to do,” said Nikola, “and it is to that end I have sought you out, and we are arguing in this fashion now. Is your time very fully occupied at present?” ”

“ If I can press it down and obtain the result I want, I can put myself in possession of information the magnitude of which the world—I mean the European world, of course—has not the slightest conception of. I am a courageous man, but I will confess that the prospect of what I am about to attempt almost frightens me. It is neither more nor less than to penetrate, with the help of certain Chinese secret societies, into the most extraordinary monastery that you or any other men ever heard of, and when there to beg, borrow, or steal the marvellous secrets they possess. ”

“ I answered; “he is an old friend of mine; and what is more, he is in Shanghai at the present moment. It was only this morning I heard of him.”
“Bring him to me,” said Nikola quickly. “I am told he wants a billet, and if he sees me before twelve to-morrow night I think I can put him in the way of obtaining a good one.” Now there you are, Bruce, my boy. I have done my best for you.”
“And I am sincerely grateful to you,” I answered. “But who is this man Nikola, and what sort of a billet do you think he can find me?” ”

“ Barkston, I am not a coward; in my time I've tackled Europeans, Zulus, Somalis, Malays, Japanese and Chinese, to say nothing of Manilla and Solomon boys, and what's more, I don't mind facing them all again; but when I find myself face to face with Dr. Nikola, I tell you I don't think twice, I bolt! ”

“ Nikola, and as he spoke he signed me to a chair at the further end. I seated myself and wondered what would come next.
“This is not your first visit to China, I am given to understand,” he continued as he seated himself in a chair opposite mine and regarded me steadfastly with his extraordinary eyes.
“It is not,” I answered. “I am an old resident in the East, and I think I may say I know China as well as any living Englishman.” ”

“ The result was not at all what he expected; he slid towards the fence, received his rider's quirt, viciously administered, round his flank, made up his mind to jump too late, hit the top rail with his forehead, turned a complete somersault, and landed with a crash at my feet. His rider fell into the arms of the ditch, out of which I presently dragged him. When I got him on the bank he did not look a pretty sight, but on the other hand that did not prevent him from recognizing me.
“Wilfred Bruce, by all that's glorious!” ”

“ Had you been one of life's rank and file I should not be discussing it with you now. I would think twice before I refused if I were you; Shanghai is such an unpleasant place to get into trouble in, and besides that, you know, next Wednesday will see the end of your money. ”

“ I cannot go alone, so must find a man to accompany me; that man must be one in a thousand, and he must also necessarily be a consummate Chinese scholar. He must be plucky beyond the average, he must be capable of disguising himself so that his nationality shall never for a moment be suspected, and he must go fully convinced in his own mind that he will never return. ”

“ Well, in appearance he might be described as tall, though you must not run away with the idea that he's what you would call a big man. On the contrary, he is most slenderly built. Anything like the symmetry of his figure, however, I don't remember to have met with before. ”