"Well, I am a devil Isr'el," answered Ninety-One good humoredly, "an'
you're another. But you see there's two kind o' devils. I'll explain it
to you. Once a little sneak of a devil came up to the head devil, (this
happened in the lower regions,) and offered to take his arm, 'you're
one devil, and I'm another, and so we're ekle,' says the little sneak
of a devil. Now the head devil did not like this. He says, says he, to
the little sneak, 'There's two kind o' devils, young gen'leman. There's
me, for instance,--when I fell from Heaven. I showed _pluck_ anyhow,
and fell like a devil, and went about makin' _stump speeches_ in the
lower regions. But you,--you,--what was you doing meanwhile? Sneakin'
out o' Heaven with your carpet-bag full of gold bricks, which you had
stolen from the gold pavement.' Now Isr'el the name of the first devil
was Beelzebub, and the little sneak of a devil was called, Mammon. Do
you take?"
The eleven gentlemen with clubs, received this elegant apologue, with
evident pleasure, manifesting their delight by a unanimous burst of
laughter.
Israel said nothing, but evidently was absorbed in a multitude of
reflections, not altogether of the most pleasant character.
In a short time, once more arrayed in his every-day attire he left the
Temple, accompanied by Ninety-One, and followed by the eleven.
Hastening from the "Court of Ten Millions," his hands clasped tightly
over his breast, and his steps trembling as he went, THE JUDGE
was determined, at all hazards, to obtain an immediate interview
with Frank. Hurrying along a dark passage, and then down the dark
stairway,--for the lights had been extinguished, and the Temple was
dark and silent as the tomb,--the judge muttered frequently the words
"in this house,--in this house!" and then exclaimed,--"O, he cannot,
cannot escape me! The hand of fate has led him hither."
He opened a door, and entered the magnificent apartment, in which, in
the early part of the evening, Tarleton feasted with his friends, while
at the head of the table, sat the corse of Evelyn Somers. Now all was
dark and silent there.
The judge lost no time, but retraced his steps and hurried up-stairs.
He presently entered the Central Chamber, where a few candles burned to
their sockets, shed their pale and uncertain light, over the pictures
and the mirrors, the tables coveted with flowers, and the lofty ceiling
supported by marble pillars. When last we saw the Central Chamber,
it was all life and motion; warm pulses were throbbing, bright eyes
flashing there. Then gay and varied costumes glittered in the light,
and each voluptuous recess, echoed to the sighs of passion. Now the
scene presented that saddest of all spectacles,--the decaying lights
of a festival, emitting their last dim gleam, upon the faded splendors
of the forsaken festal hall. Popes, Caliphs, Cardinals, Quakeresses,
Knights, Nymphs and Houris, all were gone. The place was silent as the
grave, and much more sad.