“Ah,” said the astrologer, “Melchisedek is one of the most mysterious of all the figures in the Holy Bible.  He was king of Salem, sacrificer to the Most High God.  He blessed Abraham and Abraham gave him tithes of the spoil of the vanquished kings of Sodom and Gomorrah.  That is the story in Genesis 14:18-20.  But Saint Paul cites him also, in Hebrews 7, and in the third verse of that chapter says that Melchisedek, ’without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of day, nor end of life, but made like unto the Son of God, abideth, a priest continually.’  In Hebrews 5:6 Paul, quoting Psalm 110:4, says Jesus is called ‘a priest forever after the order of Melchisedek.’

“All this, you see, is obscure enough.  Some exegetes recognize in him the prophetic figure of the Saviour, others, that of Saint Joseph, and all admit that the sacrifice of Melchisedek offering to Abraham the blood and wine of which he had first made oblation to the Lord prefigures, to follow the expression of Isidore of Damietta, the archetype of the divine mysteries, otherwise known as the holy mass.”

“Very well,” said Des Hermies, “but all that Scripture does not explain the alexipharmacal virtues which Dr. Johannes attributes to the sacrifice.”

“You are asking more than I can answer.  Only Dr. Johannes could tell you.  This much I can say.  Theology teaches us that the mass, as it is celebrated, is the re-enaction of the Sacrifice of Calvary, but the sacrifice to the glory of Melchisedek is not that.  It is, in some sort, the future mass, the glorious office which will be known during the earthly reign of the divine Paraclete.  This sacrifice is offered to God by man regenerated, redeemed by the infusion of the Love of the Holy Ghost.  Now, the hominal being whose heart has thus been purified and sanctified is invincible, and the enchantments of hell cannot prevail against him if he makes use of this sacrifice to dissipate the Spirits of Evil.  That explains to you the potency of Dr. Johannes, whose heart unites, in this ceremony, with the divine heart of Jesus.”

“Your exposition is not very clear,” Carhaix mildly objected.

“Then it must be supposed that Johannes is a man amended ahead of time, an apostle animated by the Holy Ghost?”

“And so he is,” said the astrologer, firmly assured.

“Will you please pass the gingerbread?” Carhaix requested.

“Here’s the way to fix it,” said Durtal.  “First cut a slice very thin, then take a slice of ordinary bread, equally thin, butter them and put them together.  Now tell me if this sandwich hasn’t the exquisite taste of fresh walnuts.”

“Well,” said Des Hermies, pursuing his cross-examination, “aside from that, what has Dr. Johannes been doing in this long time since I last saw him?”

“He leads what ought to be a peaceful life.  He lives with friends who revere and adore him.  With them he rests from the tribulations of all sorts—­save one—­that he has been subjected to.  He would be perfectly happy if he did not have to repulse the attacks launched at him almost daily by the tonsured magicians of Rome.”