The Count of Gabalis

...Son of Wisdom, to join him and to let you take part in the wonders of his omnipotence.

The novelty of this greeting at first provoked my astonishment, and I began for the first time to suspect that one might sometimes experience apparitions: The German "Erscheinungen" refers to supernatural sightings or visions, which the narrator previously doubted.; nevertheless, I summoned my courage as best I could and looked at him as politely as my slight fear would allow. "Whoever you may be," I said, "you whose address is not of this world, I consider it a great honor that you have wished to visit me: but grant me, if it please you, that I might know which Sage and which God you speak of before I worship the God of the Sages; be so kind as to settle into this armchair: "Lehnstuhl," suggesting a comfortable, informal setting for a high-stakes intellectual debate. and take the trouble to tell me: who is this God, these Sages, this society, these wonders of omnipotence, and finally—or before all things—with what kind of creature do I have the honor of speaking?"

"You act very wisely, my dear sir," he replied smilingly, and took the chair which