"Lucifer, prince of air! Mortals worship thee."
The wind seemed to sigh through the trees and to howl about the church tower as he recited the mystic verse. Then, with a singular union of all the gestures and ceremonies he had hitherto used, he chanted, in a tone that echoed like a chorus of demons through the surrounding forests,
"Prince of air, earth, sea and fire! Mortals bow and worship thee!"
"It's an accursed lie!" suddenly cried Loff, the mate, who, with the pirate crew, had been an appalled listener and spectator of the scene.
"Hist!" exclaimed Kyd, in a suppressed voice, forcibly grasping his arm; "a word of incredulity will destroy the spell."
"I have too much respect for my soul, captain, to let this black son of darkness sell it to the devil so glibly."
"Silence! Observe him!"
The wizard again began to chant, acknowledging the presence of each element by some appropriate gesture as he named it:
"By thy four great names we call thee! By the power thou hast conferr'd, Let our voices now be heard! By fire we call on thee!"