The creek murmured. Out in back of the store, the bird in the elm sang a hesitant note, and then was silent.
Charley Mason cleared his throat.
The man in black turned his hot, mocking gaze on Charley. Charley closed his mouth so hard his teeth clicked.
The young man said, "You need not fear him, mortal—only his temptations."
"Mister—" Charley said hesitantly.
"Yes?"
"Something sort of has me wondering."
"Yes?"
"Well—I've been watching you two go at it, and—well, it sort of looks like this other feller has the edge on you right down the line. I mean, like he was all confident, and you just don't know how to get around him—"
The young man nodded somberly. "I have been waiting for you to make that observation, human. It is true. Evil has only to be ... has only to exist for its work to be half done. It is a pit; you have only to fall into it. While to be good, you must exert yourself to climb out of the pit." He looked sadly at the smirking man in black. "He walks confidently, for he requires no more than your acceptance of him, your tolerance, your passivity, your apathy. How can such a dynamic imbalance threaten him?... He must only be to be strong; you must act to make him weak."