I shook the snow from my hair and entered the House of Sorcery. A few months earlier I had seen excellent photographs of it in one of the illustrated magazines, so its appearance did not surprise me too much. The faint fragrance that seemed to spread through all the rooms made my nostrils quiver. As soon as I came in, I felt a strange sensation in my legs, and only a moment later realized that they had sunk into the thick pile of the carpet. The walls of the vestibule were draped in black velvet, and the iridescent green ceiling was lit by skillfully concealed…