“Thatisagoodterm。IfIamanadvocate，IknowmyEmployer’smind，I，whohavetakenHisfee，andamthereforeinhonourboundtoserveHimfaithfully。NowIwilltellyouHismindaboutyou。Itisthatunlessyouchangeyourwaysandrepent，soonyouwillgotohell。Yes，quitesoon，Ithink，foronesofatcannotbeverystrongintheheart。DowhatIbidyou，Madame，orI，theadvocateofGod，havingHisauthority，willcurseyouintheNameofGod，andintheancientformofwhichyoumayhaveheard。“
“Bah!wouldyoufrightenme，thegreatMadameRienneswhohavespiritsatmycommandandwho，asyouadmit，canlayonspellsandtakethemoff。AfleaforyouandyourGod!“
“Spiritsatyourcommand!Yes，someoftheminthere，Ithink，“andhepointedtotheblackbottleonthetable，“andotherstoo，perhaps；I
willnotdenyit。Well，letthemadvance，andwewillseewhoisonthetopofthemountain，I，theoldpaidadvocateofGod，oryouandyourspirits，Madame，“andhookingthehandleofthebigumbrellaoverhiswrist，hefoldedhisarmsandstaredatherthroughthebluespectacles。
MadameRiennesgibberedsomeinvocation，butnothinghappened。
“Iawaityourspirits。Theycannothavegonetobedsoearly，“
remarkedthePasteurlikeanewElijah。
Then，alsolikeElijah，touseavulgarism，he“sailedin“afterawaywhicheventheterrifiedGodfrey，whowascrouchingagainstoneofthepurplecurtains，felttobereallymagnificentwithsuchartisticsenseasremainedtohim。Inhismedi？valLatinwhich，spokenwithaforeignaccent，Godfrey，althoughagoodscholar，couldscarcelyfollowsaveforcertainholynames，hecursedMadameRiennesinsomearchaicbutmosteffectivefashion。Heconsigned，thismuchGodfreymadeout，hersoultohellandherbodytoanumberofthemostuncomfortableexperiences。Hetrailedherinthedustattherearofhistheologicalchariot；hedescendedfromthechariot，sotospeak，andjumpeduponherashehaddoneuponthebeetle；hetosseduphermangledremainsastheholybull，ApisoftheEgyptians，mighthavedonewiththoseofaGreekblasphemer。Then，likeatriumphantpugilist，metaphoricallyhestoodoverherandaskedherifshewantedanymore。
ForalittlewhileMadameRienneswascrushed，alsoveryevidentlyfrightened，forthosewhodealinthesupernaturalareafraidofthesupernatural。Indeed，noneofuswelcomethecurseevenofamalignantanddisappointedbeggar，orofthevenomousgipsyangeredbythisorthat，andmuchlessthatofarighteousmaninspiredbyjustandholyindignation。MadameRiennes，anexpertinthetrade，adealerinmaledictions，wasnotexemptfromthiscommonprejudice。Asshewouldhaveexpressedit，shefeltthathehadthePoweronhisside。
ButMadamewasnocommoncharlatan；shehadstrengthofasort，thoughwhereitcamefromwhocouldsay？Moreover，forallkindsofsecretreasonsofherown，shedesiredtokeepinhergripthisboyGodfrey，whohadshownhimselftobesowonderfulamediumorclairvoyant。Toherhemeantstrengthandfortune；alsoforhimshehadconceivedsomekindofunholylikingintherecessesofherdarksoul。Therefore，shewasnotpreparedtogivehimupwithoutastruggle。
PresentlyMadameseemedtocastofftheinfluenceswithwhichthePasteurhadoverwhelmedher。Whilehismaledictionswereinfullflowshesankinahuddledheapuponthecouch。Ofasuddensherevived；
shesprangup；notwithstandingherbulksheleaptintotheairlikeaballet-dancer。Shetorethegoldenmantillafromherhead，lettingdownafloodofravenhair，streakedwithgrey，andwaveditroundher。Shecalleduponthenamesofspiritsordemons，long，resoundingnameswithanEasternringaboutthem，tocometoheraid。Thensheprancedintothecentreoftheroom，crying：
“Dogofaclergyman，Idefyyouandwillovercomeyou。Thatboy’ssoulismine，notyours。Iamthegreatestmesmeristintheworldandheisinmynet。Iwillshowyou!“
Sheturnedtowardstheshrivelled，almostnakedmummyinthecase，andaddressedit：
“ONofri，“shesaid，“PriestessofSet，greatseeressandmagicianoftheoldworldinwhomoncemyspiritdwelt，sendforthyourKa，youreverlastingEmanation，tohelpme。Crushthisblackhound。Comeforth，comeforth!“
AsshespokethefearfulGodfreyinhiscornersawthedooroftheglasscaseflyopen，alsoashethought，probablyerroneously，thathesawthemummymove，liftingitsstifflegsandchampingitsironjawssothattheyellow，ancientteethcaughtthelightastheymoved。Thenheheardandsawsomethingelse。SuddenlythePasteurintonesthatranglikeatrumpet，criedout：
“Sheseemstohesitate，thismummyofyours，Madame。Letmebepoliteandhelpher。“
Withasingleboundhewasinfrontofthecase。Withthehookofhisbigumbrellahecaughttheshrivelledthingroundtheneck；withhislongthinarmhegrippeditaboutthemiddle，justlikesomebodyleadingaladytothedance，thoughtGodfrey。Thenhebenthimselfandpulled。Outflewtheage-witheredcorpse。Theheadcameoff，thebodybrokeabovethehipsandfelluponthefloor，leavingthelegsstandinginthecase，aghastlyspectacle。OntothisseveredtrunkthePasteurleapt，againashehaddoneupontheblackbeetle。Itcrunchedandcrumbled，fillingtheairwithapungent，resinousdust。
Thenhestoodamidstthedébris，andplacinghisrightfootuponwhathadbeenthemummy’snose，saidmildly：
“Now，Madame，whatnext？Thisladyisfinished？“
MadameRiennesutteredastifledscream，moreshecouldnotdoforragechokedher。Herbigeyesrolled，sheclenchedandunclenchedherhands，andbentforwardasthoughshewereabouttoflyatthePasteurlikeawildcat。Stillpoiseduponthefragmentsofthemummyheliftedthepointoftheumbrellatoreceivethechargeasitcame，andtakingadvantageofMadame’stemporaryparalysisofspeech，wenton：
“Hearken!daughterofBeelzebub。Youhavethecurseanditshallworkuponyoursoul，but，yes，itshallworkwell。Stillyourbodyremains，andofthattooIwouldsaysomething。KnowthatIhaveheardmuchofyou——oh!thequietoldPasteurhearsmanythings，especiallyifhehasmembersofthesecretpoliceamonghisflock。Ithinkthatyonderinanofficethereisa/dossier/，yes，anofficialrecordconcerningyouandyourdoingsbothinthiscountryandinotherlands。Ithasbeenallowedtosleep，butitcanwakeagain；ifitwakes——well，thereisthepenitentiaryforsuchasyou。“
Madamegaspedandturnedgreen。IfMonsieurhaddrawnabowataventure，evidentlythatchancearrowhadfoundthebull’s-eye，fornowshetrulywasfrightened。
“Whatwouldyouhavemedo？“sheaskedinachokingvoice。
“Freethisyouthfromyourinfluence，asyoucanifyouwill。“
“Myinfluence!IfIhadanywithhimwouldnotthatbaldskullofyoursbynowhavebeenshatteredlikeanegg，seeingthatheisstrongandholdsastick？“
“Ihavenotimetowaste，Madame。ThePoliceOfficeclosesearlyonSundays。“
Thenshegavein。
“Comehere，“shesaidsullenlytoGodfrey，stillspeakinginFrench。
Hecameandstoodbeforehersneezing，forthepungentdustofthesmashedmummy，whichthePasteurstillgroundbeneathhislargeboots，hadfloateduphisnose。
“Ceasethatnoise，littlefool，andlookatme。“
Godfreyobeyed，butdidnotstopsneezing，becausethemixtureofspicesandorganicmatterwouldnotallowhimtodoso。Shestaredathimveryevilly，mutteredsomemorewords，andmademysticupwardpasseswithherhands。
“Therenow，“shesaid，“youarefree，sofarasIamconcerned。ButI
donotthinkthatyouaredonewithspirits，sincetheyareguestswhichonceentertainedtobreakfast，stoptoluncheonandtodinner；
yes，andpassthenightwhentheyaremerriest。Ithinkyouwillseemanyspiritsbeforeyoudie，andafterwards——ah!whoknows，littlepig？Putyourstringabouthislegandtakeyourlittlepighome，Pasteur。Hewillnotbedrawntocomehereagain。“
“Good，Madame，forremember，ifhedoesIshallbedrawntocallatthePoliceOffice。IfMadamewilltakemyadviceshewilltrychangeofair。Lucerneiscoldinthewinter，especiallyforthosewhoseheartsarenottoostrong。Isitfinished？“
“Quite，formypart，butforyou，interferinghumbug，Idonotknow。
Getoutofmyroom，bothofyou。“
ThePasteurbowedwithanold-fashionedpoliteness，andherdingGodfreyinfrontofhim，turnedtogo。Ashepassedthroughthedoorsomethinghardhithimviolentlyintheback，sothathenearlyfell。
Itwastheheadofthemummy，whichMadamehadhurledathim。Itfelltothefloor，andstrikingagainstachairleg，recoiledthroughthedoorway。Godfreysawit，andanimpulseseizedhim。Liftingthathead，heturned。Madamewasstandinginthemiddleoftheroomwithherbacktothedealtable，utteringshortlittlehowlsoffury。
Godfreyadvancedverypolitelyandsaying，“Ibelievethisisyourproperty，Madame，“placedthebatteredremnantofhumanityuponthetablebesidetheblackbottle。Ashedidso，heglancedatthemesmerist，thenturnedandfled，forherfacewasliketothatofadevil。
“MonsieurBoiset，“hesaid，whentheyreachedthestreet，“somethinghashappenedtome。Iamquitechanged。NotforalltheworldwouldI
gonearMadameRiennesagain。Indeed，nowIfeelasthoughIwishedtorunawayfromher。“
“Thatisgood!“saidthePasteur。“Oh!Ithoughtitwouldbeso，forI
knowhowtodealwithsuchwitches。Butnottoofast，nottoofast，myGodfrey。IwonderwhattheoldEgyptiansputintotheheadsoftheirmummiestomakethemsoheavy。“
“Bitumen，“answeredGodfrey，andproceededinacheerfulvoicetogiveanaccountoftheEgyptianprocessofmummificationtohistutor，whichIsobelandhehadacquiredinthecourseoftheirmiscellaneousreadingatMonk’sAcre。Indeed，ashehadsaid，whateverthereason，hewaschangedandpreparedtotalkcheerfullyaboutanything。Agreatburdenwasliftedfromhissoul。
FromthatdayforwardGodfreybecamewhatayouthofhisyearsandraceshouldbe，ahigh-spirited，athletic，andactiveyoungman。