; and the very next day, Peregrine
found some ladies of his quality-acquaintance, infected with the desire of
making an experiment upon the skill of this new conjurer, who pretended to be
just arrived from the Mogul's empire, where he had learned the art from a
Brachman philosopher. Our young gentleman affected to talk of the pretensions of
this sage with ridicule and contempt, and with seeming reluctance, undertook to
attend them to his apartment, observing, that it would be a very easy matter to
detect the fellow's ignorance, and no more than common justice to chastise him
for his presumption. Though he could easily perceive a great fund of credulity
in the company, they affected to espouse his opinion, and under the notion of a
frolic, agreed, that one particular lady should endeavour to baffle his art, by
appearing before him in the dress of her woman, who should, at the same time,
personate her mistress, and be treated as such by our adventurer, who promised
to squire them to the place. These measures being concerted, and the appointment
fixed for the next audience-day, Peregrine furnished his friend with the
necessary information; and when the hour of assignation arrived, conducted his
charge to this oraculous seer.
    They were admitted by our hero's valet de chambre, whose visage being
naturally meagre and swarthy, was adorned with artificial whiskers; so that he
became the Persian dress which he wore, and seemed a very proper master of the
ceremonies to an oriental Necromancer. Having crossed his arms upon his breast,
with an inclination of the head, he stalked in solemn silence before them into
the Penetralia of the temple, where they found the conjurer sitting at a table,
provided with pen, ink and paper, divers books and mathematical instruments, and
a long white wand lying across the whole. He was habited in a black gown and
fur-cap, and his countenance, over and above a double proportion of philosophic
gravity which he had assumed for the occasion, was improved by a thick beard
white as snow, that reached to his middle, and upon each shoulder sat a
prodigious large black cat which had been tutored for the purpose.
    Such a figure, which would have startled Peregrine himself, had not he been
concerned in the mystery, could not fail to make an impression upon those whom
he accompanied. The fictitious chambermaid, in spite of all her natural pertness
and vivacity, changed colour when she entered the room, and the pretended lady,
whose intellects were not quite so enlightened, began to tremble in every joint,
and ejaculate
