Axleben again pretended not to hear. “I nonetheless pronounce,” he said, banging a hand down on the table, “that we aren’t dealing with the Devil here, nor with a case of devilish possession. The interference of demons in people’s lives is possible and occurs quite often; we have seen enough of it not to doubt it. But it’s a phenomenon in line with the will of the Creator, who allows ad gloriae sue ostensionem vel ad peccati poenitenciam sive ad peccantis correccionem sive ad nostram erudicionem. A demon is not in itself a perpetrator. A demon is an incentor, excitator and impellator, a helper, an instigator and a persuader, one who heightens the evil slumbering in us and incites our sinful nature to evil deeds. And I,” he finished, “find nothing evil in this person whom you asked me to examine. I know this sounds ridiculous, but there isn’t a single trace of evil in him.

“Besides, I see written all over your faces that you yourselves have come to similar conclusions. And I saw something else written there: a great desire for me to finally admit defeat. Accept that I have been bested. Declare that I have achieved nothing. Thus do I declare: I have suffered a defeat, I’ve achieved nothing. Satisfied? Splendid. So, let’s go to some tavern, for I’m hungry. Since my last visit to Prague I’ve been dreaming of your dumplings and cabbage… Why the long faces? I thought my defeat would delight you.”

“The very thought, Master Vincent,” said Fraundinst, smiling insincerely. “Something else bothers us. If you weren’t able to discern the essence of the phenomenon—”

“Who said I wasn’t?” the necromancer replied, straightening up. “I was and did. A positive perispirit,” he added, greatly enjoying the pregnant, suspenseful silence. “Does that expression tell you anything? I ask you needlessly as it most certainly does. You have also most certainly heard that something called a ‘circling perispirit’ exists. The matter is quite thoroughly dealt with in the specialist literature, which I heartily advise you to consult.

“I advise you,” continued Axleben, utterly unmoved by the vengeful expressions of the Archangel wizards, “to study the case of Poppo of Osterna, Grand Master of the Order of Brothers of the German House of Saint Mary in Jerusalem, and that of Lucilla, the daughter of Marcus Aurelius. Perhaps you can recall it? No? Well, you ought to. The same thing happened to your… Samson as it did to Lucilla and Poppo. The essence of the phenomenon is the positive perispirit and the circulating perispirit. Precisely that. I know it. Unfortunately, knowledge is insufficient. I’m unable to do anything with it. I mean I wasn’t able and am unable to help this fellow Samson. Let’s go for luncheon.”

“If you aren’t able,” said Štěpán of Drahotuše, squinting, “who will be?”

“Rupilius the Silesian,” Axleben replied at once. “And no other—”