And you were very much afraid of them, were you not? Perhaps as much as formerly Johannes was. But this time he was not in the least afraid. When they came too near, he called out in a fierce voice: "Back!" Then they grew pale, and crumpled up like withered toadstools.
"This one is Ginnegap!"[3] said the Devil, pointing out a girl-like being with open mouth, dull eyes, and a finger in each nasty nostril, who was constantly tittering. "Another excellent assistant of mine. Here are Labbekak[4] and Goedzak;[5] charming twins, compact of goodness and charity. Just look! They quiver and quake like jelly. They have no bones, and they never did any wrong. If they do not belong in heaven, who does?"
"Of course they have no sense," said Johannes.
"But here, then—this one—an old acquaintance of yours. Maybe you think he has no wits, either?"
Who was it Johannes saw there? Pluizer, in truth—his old enemy Pluizer! But he lacked a good deal of looking so pert and fierce as formerly. Upon seeing Johannes he hid himself behind the back of a stout, dumpy demon.
"A little to one side, Sleur!" said the king to the bulky devil. "Give Johannes a peep at his old friend."
But Sleur did not budge. He was very sluggish. Pluizer called out:
"Does Death know about it, Johannes—that you are already here?"
"What is this place, really?" asked Johannes. "Hell? Is it here that Dante was?"
"Dante?" asked the Devil. And all his retainers whispered and tittered and chattered: "Dante? Dante? Dante?"