B1175 <=> B1177 [BTG XLVII Result impartial mentation, p. 1176]

Having said this, the venerable archangel, holding the chief end of the sacred rod, that is, the ball, over the kneeling Beelzebub, turned the handle towards those there assembled in such a way that whoever wished might touch it.

As soon as the venerable archangel had finished speaking, a very great commotion began among the beings of Beelzebub’s nature, each desiring to approach nearer and to be the first to touch the sacred rod with their hands as long as possible.

Order, however, was soon established and each then in turn approached and held the handle for as long as was indicated by the captain of the ship, who had taken upon himself the necessary direction.

During the solemn, sacred action, horns little by little began to grow upon the head of Beelzebub.

At first, while just the bare horns were being formed, only a concentrated quiet gravely prevailed among those assembled. But from the moment that forks began to appear upon the horns a tense interest and rapt attention began to be manifested among them. This latter state proceeded among them, because everybody was agitated by the wish to learn how many forks would make their appearance on Beelzebub, since by their number the gradation of Reason to which Beelzebub had attained according to the sacred measure of Reason would be defined.

First one fork formed, then another, and then a third, and as each fork made its appearance a clearly perceptible thrill of joy and unconcealed satisfaction proceeded among all those present.

As the fourth fork began to be formed on the horns, the tension among those assembled reached it height, since the formation of the fourth fork on the horns signified that the Reason of Beelzebub had already been perfected to the sacred Ternoonald and hence that there remained for Beelzebub only two gradations before attaining to the sacred Anklad.