The Encounter

The First Visit

"When we came in sight of the house, he stopped. 'That's my house.'

"It was red! Painted red!" Mother's eyes widened at the recollection.

"And he added, 'When Barlet came here, he asked me, Why did you paint your house red?''

Mother broke off to explain, "Barlet was a French occultist who had put Theon in touch with France, and was his first disciple. This Barlet was Edouard Schure's contemporary, a bit older. I met Schure, by the way, he was rather hollow."
After this short explanation, she went on, "There was a gleam of mischief in Theon's eyes, coupled with a somewhat sardonic smile. 1 told Barlet, Because red goes well with green!''

Mother smiled, "At once I began to understand the gentleman."

Their path lay through a garden. "We continued on our way uphill, when suddenly, without any warning, he wheeled around, planted himself in front of me and said, 'Now you are at my mercy. Are you not afraid?'

"Just like that. So I looked at him, smiled and told him, 1 am never afraid. I have the Divine here in my heart.' Well, he really went white."

Even in 1972, some sixty-five years later, the imprint remained clear on the retina of her mind's eye. "It struck me, I never forgot it," said Mother. "I was absolutely conscious and calm. I remember we were walking in his huge estate; we were going up towards the house on foot, and I told him," she raised her index finger, " 'My psychic being governs me -- l am afraid of nothing.' Well... " Mother made a gesture which showed Theon starting as if he had been burned.

"I acquired that psychic consciousness just before leaving for Tierncen. And it grew stronger there."

paris occult