“Jah!” said the devil, for the dark gentleman was no other. “Jah took them. Jah does everything now, at least I am forced to the conclusion that he does, since I find everything going on much the same. I knew how it would be. I knew he would find it dull only dealing with virtuous people. It was very sudden. I was deposed without any notice just in the middle of the busiest time I’d had for centuries. I have had a horrible time. No one believed in me. For years now I have only been used to frighten children, and have occasionally been allowed to slip into their dreams. You must agree that it is galling for one who has lived on the fat of human faith--for in the good old days I had far more souls than Jah. I haven’t been in a grown man’s mind for years until I found yours open to me.” “I don’t know about that,” said Nicholas Bly. “I want my wife. I want my two children. I want my work.” “Anything may be possible if you will believe in me.” “I’ll believe in anything, I’d go to Hell if I could get them back.” “There is no Hell,” said the devil. V: COGITATION This was a little difficult for Nicholas Bly. For a long time they sat brooding in the darkness of the timber-yard. Then said Nicholas Bly: “Seeing’s believing. I see you. I believe in you. You’re the first critter that’s spoke to me honest and kindly this many a long day. You seem to be worse off than I am. We’re mates.” “Thank you,” said the devil. “In the old days I used to offer those who believed in me women, wine, song and riches. But now we shall have to see what we can do.” “I want to spite that there Jah.” “We will do our best,” said the devil. With that they rose to their feet, and as they left the timber-yard the devil shook a spark out of his tail on to the petrol, so that they had not gone above a mile when the wood was ablaze and they could see the red glow of the fire against the sky. VI: CONFLAGRATION Gleefully the devil took Mr. Bly back to watch the blaze, and they were huddled and squeezed and pressed in the crowd. A fat woman took a fancy to the devil and put her arm round his waist. “Where are you living, old dear?” she said. “You leave my pal alone,” said Nicholas Bly. But the devil gave her a smacking kiss, and she slapped his face and giggled, saying: “Geeh! That was a warm one that was.” And she persisted until the devil had confessed his name to be Mr. Nicodemus. Then she said she had a snug little room in her house which he could have--his pal too if they were not to be separated. Mr. Bly demurred, but Mr. Nicodemus said: “You can only get at Jah through the women.”