The strange little animal twisted head over heels, and fixed himself at last upon the top of Gambouge’s easel,--smearing out, with his heels, all the white and vermilion which had just been laid on the allegoric portrait of Mrs. Gambouge. “What!” exclaimed Simon, “is it the--” “Exactly so; talk of me, you know, and I am always at hand: besides, I am not half so black as I am painted, as you will see when you know me a little better.” “Upon my word,” said the painter, “it is a very singular surprise which you have given me. To tell truth, I did not even believe in your existence.” The little imp put on a theatrical air, and with one of Mr. Macready’s best looks, said,-- “There are more things in heaven and earth, Gambogio, Than are dreamed of in your philosophy.” Gambouge, being a Frenchman, did not understand the quotation, but felt somehow strangely and singularly interested in the conversation of his new friend. Diabolus continued: “You are a man of merit, and want money; you will starve on your merit; you can only get money from me. Come, my friend, how much is it? I ask the easiest interest in the world: old Mordecai, the usurer, has made you pay twice as heavily before now: nothing but the signature of a bond, which is a mere ceremony, and the transfer of an article which, in itself, is a supposition--a valueless, windy, uncertain property of yours, called by some poet of your own, I think, an _animula_, _vagula_, _blandula_--bah! there is no use beating about the bush--I mean _a soul_. Come, let me have it; you know you will sell it some other way, and not get such good pay for your bargain!”--and, having made this speech, the Devil pulled out from his fob a sheet as big as a double _Times_, only there was a different _stamp_ in the corner. It is useless and tedious to describe law documents: lawyers only love to read them; and they have as good in Chitty as any that are to be found in the Devil’s own; so nobly have the apprentices emulated the skill of the master. Suffice it to say, that poor Gambouge read over the paper, and signed it. He was to have all he wished for seven years, and at the end of that time was to become the property of the--; =provided= that during the course of the seven years, every single wish which he might form should be gratified by the other of the contracting parties; otherwise the deed became null and nonavenue, and Gambouge should be left “to go to the--his own way.”