"Surely," resumed the king, "you must mean that nice place full of light where it is so hot and smells so bad; where sand melts; where rivers of blood are seething, and the boiling pitch is ever bubbling; where they scream and yell and curse and lament, and swear at one another."
"Yes," said Johannes. "Dante told about that."
"But, my little friend!" said the Devil, affably, "that is not here, as you can very well see. That is not my kingdom. That is the kingdom of another who, they say, is called Love. With me, no one suffers. I am not so cruel as that. I cause no one pain."
"I know that well," said Johannes, "for so long as I have pain I am alive and am warned. Is it not so, Wistik?"
"Yes!" cried the little fellow, his voice now sounding as if far in the distance—up above.
"We are falling all the time!" said Johannes, in great alarm.
"Do not think about it. Does it make you dizzy? I thought you were so level-headed. Just give this a look. This is my cabinet of curiosities."
And before Johannes knew that he had entered anything he found himself in a very small, close room. It was exactly like a bathroom with low ceilings, and was brightly lighted.
"You did not think to find it so well lighted here, did you?"
"Trick-light!" shouted Wistik, his voice coming faintly from above.