At  the  moment  in  which  the  countess  and  her  com-
panion entered  the  library  a  certain  peace  reigned  in  the
vault  below.  The  tumult  seemed  lulled ;  there  were
neither  shrieks  nor  demoniacal  songs  to  be  heard.    From


THE    EXORCIST  III

the  mortuary  chapel,  however,  the  notes  of  the  organ
reached  the  ears  of  the  two  listeners.  It  sounded  like
the  prelude  which  is  played  in  church  before  mass  be-
gins, only  the  chords  of  the  prelude  were  all  discords;
it  was  as  if  the  organ  were  played  by  a  condemned  spirit.
The  countess  stood  before  the  chapel  door,  her  breast
heaving  with  emotion.  She  caught  hold  of  the  abbe"s
hand  with  a  strong  grasp,  and  kept  him  from  turning
the  key  in  the  lock.     She  trembled  in  every  limb.
"  What  are  those  fearful  tones  .''"

Then  came  a  confused  sound,  as  of  many  voices  in-
toning the  vespers.  One  voice,  which  imitated  the  mo-
notonous delivery  of  the  celebrant,  began  to  sing  in
Latin  the  words  of  a  hymn —

"Bacchus,  prepare  the  libation,"

Another  voice  answ^ered  in  the  same  tone — •

"And  hasten,  brethren,  to  drink  '"

Then  a  third  took  up  the  text  in  a  parody  of  the
Gloria —

"  Gloria  Baccho,  et  filiae  ejus  Cerevisiai  et  Spiritui
vini,  sicut  erat  in  Baccho  natus,  et  nunc,  et  semper,  et
per  omnia  pocula  poculorum.     Stramen."

The  countess  felt  her  whole  body  turning  into  ice;
fear  mingled  with  horror.  She  understood  the  impious
parody.
Now  the  organ  accompanied  the  antiphon.
