Free They Used Dark Forces by Dennis Wheatley Page B

German propaganda as victories are, in fact, defeats. But to secure such information regularly through supernatural channels would require more time than I can give. So tell us please the latest news about the war.’
    For the hour that followed Gregory did most of the talking, while Khurrem listened in silence and the doctor put in an occasional question or shrewd comment. Then he returned their pistols to them, they shook hands with him and he let them out himself. Khurrem led them back to the Manor and, shortly after midnight, they went up to their respective rooms.
    It had been a long and anxious day for Gregory, but, with his usual resilience, he had by then recovered from the two periods of acute strain he had been through. Knowing nothing about the occult and never having even attended a spiritualistic séance for fun, he could still hardly believe that he had not been temporarily hypnotised himself and had imagined Malacou’s extraordinary performance; but at least he was now fully satisfied that he had nothing to fear from Khurrem or her father and, within a few minutes of getting into bed, in spite of the hard mattress, he was fast asleep.
    He had been asleep for about two hours when he awoke suddenly. The sixth sense that had often warned him of danger told him that there was someone in the room. Instantly he slipped his hand beneath the pillow and grasped his pistol; but a quick whisper came out of the darkness.
    â€˜
C’est moi
, Stefan.’
    A shadowy figure advanced from the door and, as Gregory sat up, Kuporovitch seated himself on the end of the bed.
    â€˜What is it?’ Gregory asked quickly. ‘Are we in danger?’
    â€˜No; but I had to see you. Keep your voice low.’
    In a slightly querulous tone Gregory murmured, ‘Very well. But couldn’t you have waited until the morning?’
    â€˜Dear friend, I am very worried. We must leave this house as soon as possible. There are still several hours to go before daylight, so we could get well away and find somewhere to lie up before dawn.’
    â€˜But you say we are in no danger. We’ve established ourselves here most satisfactorily, so why on earth should we get out?’
    â€˜I meant that we are in no immediate danger of betrayal or arrest. But if we remain here we shall imperil our immortal souls. The doctor is a wizard—a Black Magician in league with the Devil. I am certain of it.’
    â€˜Oh, come!’ Gregory protested. ‘The Devil was put out of business by modern science. Since the introduction of electricity and telephones nobody has believed any more those old wives’ tales of a gentleman appearing to them in red tights, smelling of brimstone and with horns and a spiky tail.’
    â€˜You are talking nonsense, my friend. The Devil was a part of the original Creation. To suppose that he could be abolished by the invention of a few scientific gadgets is absurd. People have now become so materialistic that their minds are far less open to the influence of the powers of light and darkness than used to be the case, but that is all. Say if you like that the Devil has gone underground, but he still exists and has his servants working for him here.’
    â€˜There may be something in what you say,’ Gregory admitted thoughtfully, ‘and you certainly seem to be well up in the subject. Have you ever dabbled in the occult yourself?’
    â€˜Yes; in my youth many Russians did so. But I had an experience that convinced me that I was playing with fire, so I gave it up. By then, though, I had learned enough to be certain now that this man is a servant of the Evil One.’
    â€˜What makes you so sure of that? I admit that the way in which he extracted from me, through Frau von Altern, those mental pictures that I could not help forming of Gwaine Meads was positively astounding. But that’s no evidence that he is a Black Magician.’
    â€˜I doubt if any ordinary