PREFACE
The work which we offer to the
public must not be confused with a collection of reveries and
errors
to which their authors have tried to give credence by announcing
supernatural feats; which the credulous and the ignorant siezed
with
avidity. We only quote the most respectable authorities and most
dignified in faith. The principles which we present are based on
the
doctrines of the ancients and modern, who full of respect for the
Divinity, were always the friends of mankind, endeavoured to recall
them to virtue, by showing them vice in all its deformity. We have
drawn from the most pure sources, having only in view the love of
truth and the desire to enlighten those who desire to discover the
secrets of Nature and the marvels which they unfold to those who
never separate the darkness which surrounds them. It is only given
to
those who are favoured by The Great Being, to raise themselves
above
the terrestial sphere, and to plan a bold flight in the etheric
regions; it is for these priviledged men that we write.
To us no importance is given to the
splenetic Voices which are raised against us. The silence and the
smile of disdain will be the only answer with which We shall oppose
them, and we shall follow with firm Sustained steps the route which
indicates to us the luminous stars which fill the heavens, which
cover our heads, and which light these thousands of worlds, which
bless every day with our Sovereign Master of the Universe, which He
has created, also ourselves, and whose Will maintains this
admirable
order, Which commands our admiration, our respect and our love.
THE BLACK PULLET OR THE HEN WITH THE GOLDEN EGGS
Before beginning the subject, and to
acquaint my readers of this profound Science, which until the
present
day has been the object of research of the most constant and
profound
meditations, I must unbosom myself how these marvelous secrets were
communicated to me, and the manner in which the Divine Providence
allowed me to escape from the greatest dangers and, so to speak,
conducted me by the Divine Hand, to prove that by Divine Will it is
sufficient to raise unto Himself the last of Beings or to precipate
to naught those who are clothed with all power on Earth. We all
therefor come from God, God is everything, and without God nothing
can exist. Who more than I may penetrate the truth eternal and
sacred.
I formed part of the expedition to
Egypt, an officer in the army of the genius. I took part in the
successes and reverses of this army, which victorious or obliged to
cede to force from the eventualities and circumstances, always
covered itself with glory.
As there is no point in relating
here any detail which deals with this memorable campaign, I will
but
relate one single feature, with which I was touched, and is
necessary
for the development which I must give to those whom I mentioned in
my
preface. I had been sent by the General, under whose orders I found
myself, to draw up the plans of the Pyramids; he had given me an
escort of some mounted light infantry horse. I arrived with them at
my destination without experiencing any accident, also without
noticing anything that could conjecture the fate that awaited us.
We
had dismounted near the Pyramids, our horses had been tethered;
sitting on the sands we appeased the hunger that tormented us.
French
gaiety seasoned the food which composed our frugal meal. It was on
the point of ending, and I was occupied with my work when all of a
sudden a horde of desert Arabs fell on us. We did not have the time
to place ourselves in a position of defence. The blows of swords
descended upon us, the bullets whistled, and I received several
wounds. My unhappy companions were lying on the ground dead or
expiring. Our cruel enemies after having removed our weapons and
clothes, disappeared with our horses with the speed of lightning. I
remained for some time in a state of prostration, facing the sun.
At
last recovering some of my strength, I raised myself with pain. I
had
two sword cuts on the head, and one on the left arm. I looked
around
me. I saw nothing but corpses, a burning sky and arid sand in an
immense desert and a frightning solitude. With but the hope of a
certain and cruel death, I resigned myself to saying goodbye to my
country to my parents and to my friends. Invoking heaven, I crawled
to the Pyramid, and the blood which ran with abundance from my
wounds
reddened the sand which was soon to be my tomb.
Arriving at the foot of these
worldly marvels I sat down and leaned against this enormous mass
that
had seen many centuries pass by and which would see many more pass.
I
thought that my existence which was soon to end had come to naught
just as the day which was nearing its end, the sun being on the
point
of plunging into the ocean.
"Brilliant star, receive my
goodbyes," I said with emotion. "My eyes will never see you
again, your benificent light will never shine on me again.
Goodbye."
As I said this goodbye which I thought was eternal, the sun
disappeared. The night came and covered the world with its dark
curtain.
I was absorbed with the most sad
reflections when a light noise could be heard a few paces from me.
A
large slab of stone detached itself from the pyramid and fell on
the
sand; I turned to that side, and by the light of a small lantern
that
he carried in his hand, I perceived a venerable old man who came
out
of the pyramid. A white beard covered his chest, a turban covered
his
head, and the rest of his costume indicated that he was a
Mohammedan.
He cast his eyes around; then advancing a few steps he halted
opposite the corpse of one of my unhappy companions of misfortune.
"Oh Heavens!" he cried in
Turkish. "A man is wounded, a Frenchman is dead." He lifted
his eyes to the sky saying: "Oh Allah." He then discovered
the others which he carefully examined to see if he could not find
one who still breathed, and to assure himself, I saw him place his
hand in the region of the heart. The old man recognised that they
had
all ceased to live. Uttering a painful groan, with tears furrowing
down from his eyes, he retraced his steps to re—enter the pyramid.
I felt the desire to conserve my days. I had already made the
sacrifice of my life; hope entered my heart. Summoning all my
strength, I called to him; he heard me, and turning his lantern in
my
direction, he saw me. Advancing he gave me his hand, which I seized
and pressed to my ups. He saw that I was wounded and that blood was
flowing from the cuts on my head.
Placing his lantern on the ground,
he removed his girdle and covered my brow. He then helped me to get
up. I had lost a lot of blood and was suffering from extreme
weakness—I hardly had the strength to support myself. Placing his
lantern in my hand, then taking me in his arms, he carried me near
the opening in the pyramid from which he had come and placed me
gently on the sand. Giving me an affectionate grip of the hand, he
indicated that he was re-entering the pyramid and would return
promptly.
I gave thanks to Heaven for the
unexpected help that had been sent me. The old man reappeared
carrying a flagon. He removed the cork and poured a few drops of
the
liqueur into a drinking vessel which he gave to me to drink. A
delicious perfume diffused around me. Hardly had this Divine
Liqueur
penetrated my stomach than I felt regenerated, and I had enough
strength to enter the pyramid with my benefactor and generous
conductor.
We then stopped for a few moments.
He replaced the stone that had fallen, which he adjusted with an
iron
bar, and we descended by an easy slope into the interior of the
pyramid. After having walked for some time on the same path, which
made several sinuous turns, we arrived at a door which he secretly
opened and closed with care. Then having crossed an immense hall,
we
entered another place. A lamp hung from the ceiling; there was a
table covered with books, several oriental divans or seats, and a
bed
on which to rest. The kind old man conducted me to a seat where he
made me sit down. Placing his lantern on the table he opened a kind
of cupboard from which he took several vases.
He approached me and invited me to
remove my clothes with an attention and complaisance difficult to
describe. Having examined my wounds he applied with solemn
formality
several balms which came from the vases of which I have previously
spoken. Hardly had they been applied to my arms and head than the
pains were soothed. He invited me to lie on his bed, and very soon
a
beneficial and soothing sleep weighed down my eyelids.
When I awoke, I looked around and
saw sitting near me the good old man who did not wish to partake of
rest while I was asleep as he feared that I might need help. I
tendered him my most grateful thanks by the most expressive signs.
In
the same manner he signified to me that I must remain quiet. He
gave
me a new portion of the cordial which had already proved its happy
effects. Afterwards he looked at me with extreme attention, and
realizing that he had nothing to fear for my life, he
affectionately
patted my hand. He then lay down on some cushions on the other side
of the chamber where we were, and soon I heard him sleeping
profoundly and peacefully.
"Oh benevolent one," I
said to myself, "thou art virtue par excellance and a pure
emanation of the Divinity; thou unitest and bringest men together
and
thou makest them forget the pains to which they are prey. Through
thee they are returned to happiness, and too thou art this
happiness,
the object of all their wishes and all their desires."