Page:Weird Tales volume 38 number 03 CAN.djvu/88

 and mocked... but secretly feared. Seek the strange powers that all gibe at... because the true answer is there... for the asking....

Many libraries... many... many bookstores... laughing faces... incredulous faces... sneering faces... He knows! He knows! They sneer and mock because they are afraid... cannot seek truth as he does... tirelessly... and then... then...

And old bookshop... and old man... incredibly... nodding... understanding... tottering to an inner room... a book... musty... ancient... refusal of payment... smiling....

AY SWARZ entered his apartment. He opened the book and studied. He smiled. It was all so easy. How much simpler if he had done this first. He read on....

There was the diagram to chalk upon the floor. He drew it. There were the multi-syllabled invocations to intone. He intoned them, There were the careful passes through the air... the repetition of certain odd phrases... the lit match that must scorch his fingertips....

And, as it must be, the crouching shape was there. Motionless. The shape that would rid him of the rebellious reflection in the mirror. The shape that would take the horror out of his life. It would exact a tribute. That was to be expected.

Jay Swarz was happy. Truly happy. He cast a sidelong glance at his mirrored reflection. Could it be? Yes. It was already losing its shape... becoming tenuous... transparent... wearing a look that Jay knew... knew... was one of helpless pleading. No time for mercy... too many years of subjugation... destroy... without conscience destroy... the reflection of him was wavering... almost gone... fighting... hopelessly... going... gone....

And the crouched figure stirred itself. Slowly unbent Looked up for the first time.

Jay Swarz threw a frantic look at his mirror. No reflection. No reflection at all. Blank. Blank.

The figure straightened and stepped over the chalked lines. It was going to exact its tribute. Jay Swarz knew this. He also knew that he had incarnated his double... brought it to life... it was wringing its hands... hands which suddenly swooped to Jay Swarz' throat.

He knew so many things... too late.