The History of the Devil, As Well Ancient as Modern: In Two PartsDefoe, Daniel
Philosophy
The History of the Devil, As Well Ancient as Modern: In Two Parts
Defoe, Daniel
Devil -- Early works to 1800
At the Time appointed he comes, and the Witch made a long Speech to him
upon the Nicety of the Affair; I suppose to prepare him not to be
surpriz'd at what was to come; for she suppos'd he was not so very
desperately bent as he appear'd to be; she told him it was a Thing of
very great Difficulty; but as he had made such a great Offer, of
_selling his Soul for it_, she had an Acquaintance in the House, who was
better skill'd (than she was) in such particular Things, and would treat
with him farther, and she doubted not but that both together they might
answer his End. The Fellow it seems was still of the same Mind, and told
her, he car'd not what he pawn'd or sold, if he could but obtain the
Lady; well, says the old Hag, sit still a while, and with that she
withdraws.
By and by she comes in again with a Question in her Mouth; pray, says
she, do you seek this Lady for a Wife, or for a Mistress, would you
marry her, or would you only lie with her? The young Man told her _no,
no_, he did not expect she would lie with him, therefore he would be
satisfied to marry her, but asks her the Reason of the Question; why
truly, says the old Hag, my Reason is very Weighty; for if you would
have her for your Wife, I doubt, we can do you no Service; but if you
have a Mind to lie with her, the Person, I speak of, will undertake it.
The Man was surpriz'd at that, only he objected that this was a
transient or short Felicity, and that he should perhaps have her no
more; the old Hag bid him not fear, but that if she once yielded to be
his Whore, he might have her as often as he pleased; upon this he
consents, for he was stark mad for the Lady; He having consented, she
told him then, he should follow her, but told him, whoever he saw, he
must speak to no body but her, till she gave him leave, and that he
should not be surpriz'd, whatever happen'd, for no hurt should befall
him; all which he agreed to, and the old Woman going out he follow'd
her.
Being upon this led into another Room, where there was but very little
Light, yet enough to let him see that there was no body in it but
himself and the Woman, he was desired to sit down in a Chair next to a
Table, and the old Woman clapping the Door too after her, he asked her
why she shut the Door, and where was the Person she told him of? At
which she answer'd _there he is_, pointing to a Chair at a little
Distance: The young Gentleman turning his Head, saw a grave Kind of a
Man sitting in an Elbow-Chair, tho' he said, he could have sworn there
was no body in the Chair when the old Woman shut the Door; however,
having promis'd not to speak to any body but the old Woman, he said not
a Word.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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