“Certainly, Patrick.”
“And is it thrue, what Mr. Weeville says, that the devil’s been seen on the earth?”
“It is so alleged in the papers,” I replied, “and you know whatever is stated there must be true.”
“Yes, yer honor,” he answered, evidently referring in his own mind to a temporary connection of mine with that palladium of freedom. “And sure,” he continued, as he approached cautiously, “and what is he like?”
“He is described as being forty feet high, spitting fire from his mouth and nostrils, and with huge horns over his eyes.”
“That’s awful intirely; but there’s prophecies in the Good Book that he should be let loose on the earth, but I didn’t think it was to be quite yet. Was it far from here that he was?”
“Yes, more than a thousand miles.”
“Sure and that’s pleasant, for it ain’t likely he’ll get this far.”
“That is not so certain,” I replied, to lead him on. “He has a habit of going up and down on the earth.”
“But it would take him a long time to travel that distance.”