As the grotesque nude figures scattered with shrieks of terror the car bounded from ridge to ridge heading straight for the monstrous Goat. When the lights fell upon it Rex feared for an instant that the, malefic rays which streamed from its baleful eyes would overcome the headlights of the car. The lamps flickered and dimmed, but as the Duke clung to the wheel he was concentrating with all the power of his mind upon visualising the horseshoe surmounted by a cross in silver light just above the centre of his forehead, setting the symbol in his aura and, at the same time, repeating the lines of the Ninety-first Psalm which is immensely powerful against all evil manifestations.
‘Whoso dwelleth under the defence of the most High: shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
I will say unto the Lord, Thou art my hope, and my stronghold: my God, in Him will I trust.
For He shall deliver thee from the snare of the hunter: and from the noisome pestilence.’
From the time Rex switched on the headlights, it was only a matter of seconds before the big car hurtled forward like a living thing right on to the ground where the Sabbat was being held.
Rex, clinging to the coachwork, and also visualising that symbol which De Richleau had impressed so strongly upon him, leaned from the step of the car and, with all his force, threw the ivory crucifix straight in the terrible face of the monstrous beast.
The Duke swerved the car to avoid the throne and Simon who, alone of all the Satanists, remained standing but apparently utterly unconscious of what was happening.
The blue flames of the black candles set upon the hellish altar went out as though quenched by some invisible hand. The lights of the car regained their full brilliance, and once again they heard the terrible screaming neigh which seemed to echo over the desolate plain for miles around as the crucifix, shining white in the glow of the headlights, passed through the face of the Goat.
A horrible stench of burning flesh, mingled with the choking odour from the sulphur candles, filled the air like some poisonous gas, but there was no time to think or analyse sensations. After that piercing screech, the brute upon the rocks disappeared. At the same instant Rex grabbed Simon by the neck and hauled him bodily on to the step of the car as it charged the farther slope of the hollow.
Jolting and bouncing it breasted the rise, hesitated for the fraction of a second upon the brink as though some awful power was striving to draw it backwards. But the Duke threw the gear lever into low, and they lurched forward again on to level ground.
Rex, meanwhile, had flung open the door at the back and dragged Simon inside where he collapsed on the floor in a senseless heap. Instinctively, although De Richleau had warned him not to do so, he glanced out of the back window down into the valley where they had witnessed such terrible things, but it lay dark, silent, and seemingly deserted.
The car was travelling now at a better pace, although De Richleau did not dare to use the full power of his engine for fear that they should strike a sudden dip or turn over in some hidden gully.
For a mile they raced north-eastward while, without ceasing, the Duke muttered to himself those protective lines:
‘He shall defend thee under His wings, and thou shalt be safe under His feathers: His faithfulness and truth shall be thy shield and buckler.
Thou shalt not be afraid for any terror by night: nor for the arrow that flieth by day; For the pestilence that walketh in darkness: nor for the sickness that destroyeth in the noon-day.’
Then to his joy, they struck a track at right-angles, and he turned along it to the north-westward, slipping into top gear. The car bounded forward and seemed to fly as though in truth all the devils of Hell were unleashed behind it in pursuit. Swerving, jolting, and bounding across the grassy ruts, they covered live miles in twice as many minutes until they came upon the Lavington-Westbury road.
Even then De Richleau would not slow down but, turning in the direction of London, roared on, swerving from bend to bend with utter disregard for danger in his fear of the greater danger that lay behind.
They flashed through Earlstoke, Market Lavington and then Easterton, where, unseen by them, the Blue Rolls lay just off the road in a ditch where Tanith had crashed it a few hours before; then Bushall, Upavon, Ludgershall and so to Andover, having practically completed a circuit of the Plain. Here at last, at the entrance of the town, the Duke brought the car to a halt and turned in his seat to look at Rex.
‘How is he?’ he asked.
‘About all-in I reckon. He is as cold as blazes, and he hasn’t fluttered an eyelid since I hauled him into the car. My God! what a ghastly business.’
‘Grim, wasn’t it!’ De Richleau for once was looking more than his age. His grey face was lined and heavy pouches seemed to have developed beneath his piercing eyes. His shoulders were hunched as he leaned for a moment apparently exhausted over the wheel. Then he pulled himself together with a jerk and thrusting his hand in his pocket, took out a flask which he passed to Rex.
‘Give him some of thisas much as you can get him to swallow. It may help to pull him round.’
Rex turned to where Simon lay hunched up beneath the car rugs on the back seat beside him and forcing open his mouth poured a good portion of the old brandy into it.
Simon choked suddenly, gasped, and jerked up his head. His eyes flickered open and he stared at Rex, but there was no recognition in them. Then his lids closed again and his head fell backwards on the seat.
‘Well, he’s alive, thank God,’ murmured Rex. ‘While you’ve been driving like a maniac I’ve been scared that we had lost poor Simon for good and all. But now we’d better get him back to London or to the nearest doctor just as soon as we can.’
‘I daren’t,’ De Richleau’s eyes were full of a desperate anxiety. ‘That devilish mob will have recovered themselves and are probably back at the house near Chilbury by now. They will be plotting something against us you may be certain.’
‘You mean that as Mocata knows your flat he will concentrate on it to get Simon backjust as he did before?’
‘Worse. I doubt if they’d ever let us reach it.’
‘Oh, shucks!’ Rex frowned impatiently. ‘How’re they going to stop us?’
‘They can control all the meaner thingsbats, snakes, rats, foxes, owlsas well as cats and certain breeds of dog like the Wolfhound and Alsatian. If one of those dashed beneath the wheels of the car when we were going at any speed it might turn over. Besides, within certain limits they can control the elements, so they could ensure a dense local fog surrounding us the whole way, and every mile of it we’d be facing the risk of another car that hadn’t seen our lights smashing into us head on at full speed. If they combine the whole of their strength for ill it’s a certainty they’ll be able to bring about some terrible accident before we can cover the seventy miles to London. Remember too, this is still Walpurgis-Nacht and every force of evil that is abroad will be leagued against us. For every moment until dawn we three remain in the direst peril.’
CHAPTER XIX
THE ANCIENT SANCTUARY
Well we can’t stay here,’ Rex protested.
‘I know, and we’ve got to find some sanctuary where we can keep Simon safe until morning.’ ‘How about a church?’
‘Yes, if we could find one that is open. But they will all be locked up at this hour.’