a carpet of
red satin. A Chaldee Bible was laid open, together with a skull; and a
silver crucifix was fastened upon the altar. Instead of candles some
spirits of wine were burning in a silver vessel. A thick smoke of
frankincense darkened the room and almost extinguished the lights. The
sorcerer was undressed like ourselves, but barefooted; about his bare
neck he wore an amulet, suspended by a chain of human hair; round his
middle was a white apron marked with cabalistic characters and
symbolical figures.

[Amulet is a charm or preservative against mischief, witchcraft, or
diseases. Amulets were made of stone metal, simples, animals, and
everything which fancy or caprice suggested; and sometimes they
consisted of words, characters, and sentences ranged in a
particular order and engraved upon wood, and worn about the neck or
some other part of the body. At other times they were neither
written nor engraved, but prepared with many superstitious
ceremonies, great regard being usually paid to the influence of the
stars. The Arabians have given to this species of amulets the name
of talismans. All nations have been fond of amulets. The Jews
were extremely superstitious in the use of them to drive away
diseases; and even amongst the Christians of the early times
amulets were made of the wood of the cross or ribbons, with a text
of Scripture written on them, as preservatives against diseases.]

He desired us to join hands and to observe profound silence; above all
he ordered us not to ask the apparition any question. He desired the
Englishman and myself, whom he seemed to distrust the most, constantly
to hold two naked swords crossways an inch above his head as long as the
conjuration should last. We formed a half-moon round him; the Russian
officer placed himself close to the English lord, and was the nearest to
the altar. The sorcerer stood upon the satin carpet with his face
turned to the east. He sprinkled holy water in the direction of the
four cardinal points of the compass, and bowed three times before the
Bible. The formula of the conjuration, of which we did not understand a
word, lasted for the space of seven or eight minutes, at the end of
which he made a sign to those who stood close behind to seize him firmly
by the hair. Amid the most violent convulsions he called the deceased
three times by his name, and the third time he stretched forth his hand
towards the crucifix