andatlastpersuadedhimtobeawitnessoftheirmysteries。Whethertheyplayedoffanyopticaldelusionsuponhim；orwhether，bytheforceofastrongimagination，hedeludedhimself，doesnotappear；
　　butcertainitis，thathebecameacompletetoolintheirhands，andconsentedtodowhatevertheywishedhim。Kelly，attheseinterviews，placedhimselfatacertaindistancefromthewondrouscrystal，andgazedintentlyuponit；whileDeetookhisplaceincorner，readytosetdownthepropheciesastheywereutteredbythespirits。InthismannertheyprophesiedtothePole，thatheshouldbecomethefortunatepossessorofthephilosopher’sstone；thatheshouldliveforcenturies，andbechosenKingofPoland；inwhichcapacityheshouldgainmanygreatvictoriesovertheSaracens，andmakehisnameillustriousoveralltheearth。Forthisposeitwasnecessary，however，thatLaskishouldleaveEngland，andtakethemwithhim，togetherwiththeirwivesandfamilies；thatheshouldtreatthemallsumptuously，andallowthemtowantfornothing。Laskiatonceconsented；andveryshortlyafterwardstheywereallontheroadtoPoland。
　　IttookthemupwardsoffourmonthstoreachtheCount’sestates，intheneighbourhoodofCracow。Inthemeantime，theyledapleasantlife，andspentmoneywithanunsparinghand。WhenonceestablishedintheCount’spalace，theycommencedthegreathermeticoperationoftransmutingironintogold。Laskiprovidedthemwithallnecessarymaterials，andaidedthemhimselfwithhisknowledgeofalchymy:but，somehoworother，theexperimentalwaysfailedattheverymomentthatitoughttohavesucceeded；andtheywereobligedtorecommenceoperationsonagranderscale。ButthehopesofLaskiwerenoteasilyextinguished。Already，inidea，thepossessorofcountlessmillions，hewasnottobecastdownforfearofpresentexpenses。Hethuscontinuedfromdaytoday，andfrommonthtomonth，tillhewas，atlast，obligedtosellaportionofhisdeeply-mortgagedestates，tofindalimentforthehungrycruciblesofDeeandKelly，andthenolesshungrystomachsoftheirwivesandfamilies。Itwasnottillruinstaredhimintheface，thatheawokefromhisdreamofinfatuation——
　　toohappy，eventhen，tofindthathehadescapedutterbeggary。Thusrestoredtohissenses，hisfirstthoughtwashowtoridhimselfofhisexpensivevisiters。Notwishingtoquarrelwiththem，heproposedthattheyshouldproceedtoPrague，wellfurnishedwithlettersofrecommendationtotheEmperorRudolph。OuralchymiststooplainlysawthatnothingmorewastobemadeofthealmostdestituteCountLaski。
　　Withouthesitation，therefore，theyacceptedtheproposal，andsetoutforthwithtotheImperialresidence。Theyhadnodifficulty，ontheirarrivalatPrague，inobtaininganaudienceoftheEmperor。Theyfoundhimwillingenoughtobelievethatsuchathingasthephilosopher’sstoneexisted，andflatteredthemselvesthattheyhadmadeafavourableimpressionuponhim；but，fromsomecauseorother——
　　perhapsthelookoflowcunningandquackeryuponthefaceofKelly——
　　theEmperorconceivednoveryhighopinionoftheirabilities。Heallowedthem，however，toremainforsomemonthsatPrague，feedingthemselvesuponthehopethathewouldemploythem:butthemorehesawofthem，thelesshelikedthem；and，whenthePope’sNunciorepresentedtohim，thatheoughtnottocountenancesuchhereticmagicians，hegaveordersthattheyshouldquithisdominionswithinfour-and-twentyhours。Itwasfortunateforthemthatsolittletimewasgiventhem；for，hadtheyremainedsixhourslonger，theNunciohadreceivedorderstoprocureaperpetualdungeon，orthestake，forthem。
　　Notknowingwellwheretodirecttheirsteps，theyresolvedtoreturntoCracow，wheretheyhadstillafewfriends；but，bythistime，thefundstheyhaddrawnfromLaskiwerealmostexhausted；andtheyweremanydaysobligedtogodinnerlessandsupperless。Theyhadgreatdifficultytokeeptheirpovertyasecretfromtheworld；buttheymanagedtobearprivationwithoutmurmuring，fromaconvictionthatifthefactwereknown，itwouldmilitateverymuchagainsttheirpretensions。Nobodywouldbelievethattheywerepossessorsofthephilosopher’sstone，ifitwereoncesuspectedthattheydidnotknowhowtoprocurebreadfortheirsubsistence。Theystillgainedalittlebycastingnativities，andkeptstarvationatarm’slength，tillanewdupe，richenoughfortheirpurposes，droppedintotheirtoils，intheshapeofaroyalpersonage。HavingprocuredanintroductiontoStephen，KingofPoland，theypredictedtohim，thattheEmperorRudolphwouldshortlybeassassinated，andthattheGermanswouldlooktoPolandforhissuccessor。AsthispredictionwasnotpreciseenoughtosatisfytheKing，theytriedtheircrystalagain；andaspiritappeared，whotoldthemthatthenewsovereignofGermanywouldbeStephenofPoland。Stephenwascredulousenoughtobelievethem，andwasoncepresentwhenKellyheldhismysticconversationswiththeshadowsofhiscrystal。Healsoappearstohavefurnishedthemwithmoneytocarryontheirexperimentsinalchymy:buthegrewtired，atlast，oftheirbrokenpromises，andtheirconstantdrainsuponhispocket；andwasonthepointofdiscardingthemwithdisgrace，whentheymetwithanotherdupe，towhomtheyeagerlytransferredtheirservices。ThiswasCountRosenberg，anoblemanoflargeestates，atTrebona，inBohemia。Socomfortabledidtheyfindthemselvesinthepalaceofthismunificentpatron，thattheyremainednearlyfouryearswithhim，faringsumptuously，andhavinganalmostunlimitedcommandofhismoney。TheCountwasmoreambitiousthanavaricious:hehadwealthenough，anddidnotcareforthephilosopher’sstoneonaccountofthegold，butofthelengthofdaysitwouldbringhim。Theyhadtheirpredictions，accordingly，allreadyframedtosuithischaracter。TheyprophesiedthatheshouldbechosenKingofPoland；
　　andpromised，moreover，thatheshouldliveforfivehundredyearstoenjoyhisdignity；providedalways，thathefoundthemsufficientmoneytocarryontheirexperiments。
　　Butnow，whilefortunesmileduponthem；whiletheyrevelledintherewardsofsuccessfulvillany，retributivejusticecameupontheminashapetheyhadnotanticipated。Jealousyandmistrustsprangupbetweenthetwoconfederates，andledtosuchviolentandfrequentquarrels，thatDeewasinconstantfearofexposure。KellyimaginedhimselfamuchgreaterpersonagethanDee；measuring，mostlikely，bythestandardofimpudentroguery；andwasdispleasedthatonalloccasions，andfromallpersons，Deereceivedthegreatershareofhonourandconsideration。HeoftenthreatenedtoleaveDeetoshiftforhimself；andthelatter，whohaddegeneratedintothemeretoolofhismoredaringassociate，wasdistressedbeyondmeasureattheprospectofhisdesertion。Hismindwassodeeplyimbuedwithsuperstition，thathebelievedtherhapsodiesofKellytobe，inagreatmeasure，derivedfromhisintercoursewithangels；andheknewnotwhere，inthewholeworld，tolookforamanofdepthandwisdomenoughtosucceedhim。Astheirquarrelseverydaybecamemoreandmorefrequent，DeewroteletterstoQueenElizabeth，tosecureafavourablereceptiononhisreturntoEngland；whitherheintendedtoproceed，ifKellyforsookhim。Healsosentheraroundpieceofsilver，whichhepretendedhehadmadeofaportionofbrasscutoutofawarming-pan。Heafterwardssentherthewarming-panalso，thatshemightconvinceherselfthatthepieceofsilvercorrespondedexactlywiththeholewhichwascutintothebrass。Whilethuspreparingfortheworst，hischiefdesirewastoremaininBohemiawithCountRosenberg，whotreatedhimwell，andreposedmuchconfidenceinhim。NeitherhadKellyanygreatobjectiontoremain；
　　butanewpassionhadtakenpossessionofhisbreast，andhewaslayingdeepschemestogratifyit。Hisownwifewasill-favouredandill-natured；Dee’swascomelyandagreeable:andhelongedtomakeanexchangeofpartners，withoutexcitingthejealousyorshockingthemoralityofDee。Thiswasadifficultmatter；but，toamanlikeKelly，whowasasdeficientinrectitudeandrightfeelingashewasfullofimpudenceandingenuity，thedifficultywasnotinsurmountable。HehadalsodeeplystudiedthecharacterandthefoiblesofDee；andhetookhismeasuresaccordingly。Thenexttimetheyconsultedthespirits，Kellypretendedtobeshockedattheirlanguage，andrefusedtotellDeewhattheyhadsaid。Deeinsisted，andwasinformedthattheywerehenceforthtohavetheirwivesincommon。Dee，alittlestartled，inquiredwhetherthespiritsmightnotmeanthattheyweretoliveincommonharmonyandgood-will？Kellytriedagain，withapparentreluctance，andsaidthespiritsinsistedupontheliteralinterpretation。Thepoorfanatic，Dee，resignedhimselftotheirwill；butitsuitedKelly’spurposetoappearcoyalittlelonger。Hedeclaredthatthespiritsmustbespirits，notofgood，butofevil；andrefusedtoconsultthemanymore。Hethereupontookhisdeparture，sayingthathewouldneverreturn。
　　Dee，thuslefttohimself，wasinsoretroubleanddistressofmind。HeknewnotonwhomtofixasthesuccessortoKellyforconsultingthespirits；butatlastchosehissonArthur，aboyofeightyearsofage。Heconsecratedhimtothisservicewithgreatceremony，andimpresseduponthechild’smindthedignifiedandawfulnatureofthedutieshewascalledupontoperform；butthepoorboyhadneithertheimagination，thefaith，northeartificeofKelly。Helookedintentlyuponthecrystal，ashewastold；butcouldseenothingandhearnothing。Atlast，whenhiseyesached，hesaidhecouldseeavagueindistinctshadow；butnothingmore。Deewasindespair。Thedeceptionhadbeencarriedonsolong，thathewasneversohappyaswhenhefanciedhewasholdingconversewithsuperiorbeings；andhecursedthedaythathadputestrangementbetweenhimandhisdearfriendKelly。ThiswasexactlywhatKellyhadforeseen；
　　and，whenhethoughttheDoctorhadgrievedsufficientlyforhisabsence，hereturnedunexpectedly，andenteredtheroomwherethelittleArthurwasinvainendeavouringtodistinguishsomethinginthecrystal。Dee，inenteringthiscircumstanceinhisjournal，ascribesthissuddenreturntoa“miraculousfortune，“anda“divinefate；“
　　andgoesontorecordthatKellyimmediatelysawthespirits，whichhadremainedinvisibletolittleArthur。Oneofthesespiritsreiteratedthepreviouscommand，thattheyshouldhavetheirwivesincommon。Kellybowedhishead，andsubmitted；andDee，inallhumility，consentedtothearrangement。
　　Thiswastheextremedepthofthewretchedman’sdegradation。Inthismannertheycontinuedtoliveforthreeorfourmonths，when，newquarrelsbreakingout，theyseparatedoncemore。Thistimetheirseparationwasfinal。Kelly，takingtheelixirwhichhehadfoundinGlastonburyAbbey，proceededtoPrague，forgetfuloftheabruptmodeinwhichhehadpreviouslybeenexpelledfromthatcity。Almostimmediatelyafterhisarrival，hewasseizedbyorderoftheEmperorRudolph，andthrownintoprison。Hewasreleasedaftersomemonths’
　　confinement，andcontinuedforfiveyearstoleadavagabondlifeinGermany，tellingfortunesatoneplace，andpretendingtomakegoldatanother。Hewasasecondtimethrownintoprison，onachargeofheresyandsorcery；andhethenresolved，ifeverheobtainedhisliberty，toreturntoEngland。Hesoondiscoveredthattherewasnoprospectofthis，andthathisimprisonmentwaslikelytobeforlife。
　　Hetwistedhisbed-clothesintoarope，onestormynightinFebruary1595，andlethimselfdownfromthewindowofhisdungeon，situatedatthetopofaveryhightower。Beingacorpulentman，theropegaveway，andhewasprecipitatedtotheground。Hebroketwoofhisribs，andbothhislegs；andwasotherwisesomuchinjured，thatheexpiredafewdaysafterwards。