Anonymous

“ A very discreet lover indeed, said the student: it must be owned that our nation outdoes all others in point of gallantry. I dare venture a wager, that there is not a Frenchman in the world, for example that would suffer himself to be hanged for his discretion. No I assure you, said the devil, a Frenchman would sooner clamber over a balcony to disgrace the woman that should shew him any favour.
Under the closet there is a dungeon, that serves for a lodging to a young vintner. ”

“ Our smoker not in the least affrighted at this sight, drew his sword, advanced towards the Spirit, and with the flat side of it gave him a very severe blow on the head.
The apparition, not much used to meet with such bold guests, cried out, and perceiving the soldier going to begin again with him, he most humbly prostrated himself at his feet. Mr Serjeant said he, for God's sake, do not give me any more; but have mercy on a poor devil, that casts himself at your feet: I conjure you by St James, who, as you are, was a great soldier. ”

“ You would be overmatched replied the cripple; leave your revenge to me, I will compass it better than you; I will this moment set them together by the ears, by inspiring them with a lascivious flame, and they shall draw their sword's upon each other: you will see a fine uproar presently. ”

“ I confess, said the devil, it is no very pleasing sight, but they who will frequent such loose ladies must expect adventures of this kind; they happen every day in France to Abbes, men of the long robe and rich farmers of the revenue. If I had a sword, replied Don Cleofas, I would break in upon those villains and spoil their entertainment. ”

“ Mr Serjeant, continued Guillermo, you see I have told you the whole truth; I know that after this confession you may ruin me by discovering it to my master; but it you please to serve, instead of undoing me, I swear that my acknowledgments——You are a very fine person, Mr Guillermo, said the soldier. You propose to me to support a trick: It is a serious affair, which requires mature deliberation: but the consequences hurry me on. ”

“ Young Zambullo, charmed above all with this last promise, to hasten its accomplishment, immediately took the phial, and without concerning himself what might be the event of it, he threw it hard against the ground. It broke into a thousand pieces, and overflowed the floor with a blackish liquor, which by little and little evaporated, and converted itself into a thick smoke; which dissipating all at once the amazed student beheld the figure of a man in a cloak, about two feet and a half high, resting on two crutches. ”

“ If you are willing to save your life, answered the soldier, you must tell me who you are, and speak without the least prevarication, or else this moment I cut you down the middle, as your knights of old were used to serve the giants they encountered. At these words, the ghost finding what sort of a man he had to do with, resolved to own all. ”

“ It may be you are Beelzebub, said Leandro, You deceive yourself, answered the spirit, he is the dæmon of governantes, and gentlemen ushers, or waiting men. This surprises me, said the student: I took Beelzebub for one of the greatest of your number. He is one of the least replied the dæmon; you have no true notion of our hell.
You must then, replied Don Cleofas, be either Leviathan, Belphegor; or Ashtaroth. Oh! as for, those three, said the voice, they are devils of the first rank ”

“ He soon inhabited a splendid hotel in the capital, appeared in glittering equivages, and revelled in banquets and entertainments.
Oh may all these who pant for reform, in their different countries be enamoured with such thoughts of rioting on the ruin of their superiors; and panting with glorious ardour for such dignities in the state as have adorned the bloody brows of this assassin be hurried on to commit such crimes against every government, as will produce the same glorious work for devils as this merciless ambitious wretch hath committed here. ”

“ First of all, in that large chamber on the right, are four men lying on those two wretched beds you see. One is a vintner accused of poisoning a stranger, who the other day dropped down dead in his house. It is pretended that the quality of the wine killed the deceased, but the vintner alleges that was the quantity, and will be believed at his trial, for the stranger was a German. And which of them are in the right, said Don Cleofas, the vintner or persecutors? The affair, is extremely delicate, answered the devil. ”

“ In which the story of Asmodeo's deliverance is continued.
The dæmon observing that the sight of him did not very agreeably prepossess the student in his favour, smiling said, Well Signior Cleofas, Leandro Perez Zambullo, you see, the charming god of love, the sovereign ruler of hearts, what do you think of my beauty and air? Do you not take the poets for excellent painters? ”

“ Signior student, said the dæmon, this confusion of objects which you survey with so much pleasure, affords really a very charming prospect: but in order to furnish you with a perfect knowledge of human life it is necessary to explain to you what all those people which you see, are doing. ”

“ So mean was this wretch that he would caress the horses who he said had the happiness to be the favourites of the Count or Countess; but no sooner were they unable to serve him, than he transferred his worship to the mob, and thus continued to co-operate with Robespierre is rivetting the chains of tyranny on the nation, till jealousy brought him to receive what he merited: and soon after Robespierre met the fate that he had brought on him and thousands. ”

“ To lead ingenouus youth from the paths of virtue into the stream of vice, to triumph in the ruin of innocence, is a refinement in wickedness, which was flattering to the ambition, and delightful to the heart of the Duke of Orleans. ”

“ This is a place very proper for them, answered the spirit; there are here a great number of guilty and innocent people; and it is a retirement which begins the punishment of the one, and purifies the virtues of the others. ”

“ The ancient poets placed but one Creberus at hell gates, but here is a far greater number, as you see. These gaolers are villains that have lost all sentiments of humanity. The wickedest of my brethren could hardly supply the place of one. But I find, added he, you look with horror on these rooms, where all the furniture is a wretched bed, and those frightful dungeons appear to you like so many graves. It is with reason that you are astonished at the misery of these places, and pity the fate of those wretches whom the law detains in them. Yet they do not all deserve the same compassion ”

“ The fourth is a lover caught by the watch, as he was scaling the balcony of a woman of his acquaintance, whose husband was absent. It is his own fault he does not get out, by declaring his design was purely an amorous, but he chooses rather to pass for a thief, and run the risque of his life, than expose his mistress's honour. ”

“ This widow had a scrupulous conscience and only married to enjoy her darling pleasures without remorse. I never make such marriages: I have a much greater pleasure in troubling conscience, than in setting them at rest.
Come Signior Student, added he, now let us go and punish that base woman who so ill returned your tenderness. Upon which Zambullo took hold of the end of Asmodeo's cloak, who cleft the air a second time with him, and sat him down on Donna Thomasa's house. ”

“ As for the poor wife she is running mad; tho' her husband hath by his gaming lost all the fortune she brought him, though he hath sold all her jewels, and even her very clothes, she is inconsolate for the loss of him. ”

“ He endeavoured to preserve his life and honour by flying from three or four bullies, who followed close at his heels, threatning to kill or force him to marry a lady, with whom they had just surprised him. ”

“ DANTON, the former colleague and assistant of Robespierre was the son of a butcher who bred him be a surgeon. He was so mean and cringing to men in power, the nobility and princes that he got appointed surgeon extraordinary to the Count d'Ar (illegible text) s, and so unlucky was he in losing patients, that any page or domestic offended the count he was accustomed to threaten to deliver them to be cured by Danton. ”