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ASMODEUS AND THE INCOGNITO. 



" I am a spirit of no common rate ; 

 The summer still doth tend upon my state, 

 And I do love thee ; therefore go with me. 



***** 



And I will purge thy mortal grossness so 



That thou shalt like an airy spirit go." Shakspeare. 



" WHO are you ? " cried I, hastily raising my head from the pil- 

 low at the sudden appearance of a handsome and fashionable gentle- 

 man by the side of my bed. 



" Asmodeus," replied the stranger. "Asmodeus!" resumed I, 

 much surprised, " is that possible "? " " It is," responded the devil. 

 " Ma foil if it be so, you are indeed most wonderfully changed," 

 quoth I. "I am not," said Asmodeus, pertly. ''What! are you not 

 changed ? " rejoined I ; " but where are your famous crutches ? 

 where your ugly crooked limbs?" 



" Why," resumed my visitor," my crutches I have given to Dr. 

 Pompous. With regard to my limbs you ought to have learned 

 ere this, that we devils go always with the times, and that the garb 

 and principle that best suit our purposes and interest we readily 

 assume. When I chose for my travelling companion Don Cleofas 

 Tuxillo I was a cripple, because at that epoch all was in a crooked 

 state in your world ; but now that thanks to the progress of civili- 

 zation, to the success of the patriotic efforts of Washington and to 

 the overthrow of the Parisian bastille things are going on in a 

 better train I have become what you see me; for a comely 

 aspect and a fashionable exterior are at present almost indispen- 

 sable to a man who wishes to appear a perfect gentleman. How- 

 ever, let us not waste our time ; get up and dress yourself, because 

 I intend to travel with you in search of amusement and information." 



" Asmodeus," answered I, " you speak indeed like a devil ; 'tis 

 easy for you to say, * dress yourself, let us go,' but it is not so 

 with me. You have just remarked that in order to imitate the 

 times, you have become a fashionable : well, as in consequence of 

 the perfidy of the times I cannot do as much, J must decline 

 your kind offer." 



" Pooh ! pooh ! " said the devil, leering at rne and laughing very 

 heartily, " if that is all, I will soon render you as fashionable as ever 

 Count d'Orsay was in his life." 



In fact, having furnished me with all that I wanted to appear 

 a perfect gentleman, Asmodeus very kindly officiated as my valet. 

 When the toilette was over, consulting the looking-glass, I could 

 scarcely believe my own eyes in observing the infernal change that 

 had taken place both in my dress and appearance. Greatly pleased 

 with my extraordinary elegance, I thanked the devil, and said, " I 

 am now at your service." 



