Asmodeus and the Incognito. 401 



" The little man," resumed Asmodeus, " is an attorney, renowned 

 for his shrewdness and savoir-faire. That short, thick, and bald epi- 

 curean-looking fellow is an Abbruzzese, whose deity venter est, and 

 who, for a few shillings, would not scruple to swear the life of his 

 own father. The tall, pale, thin, horse-faced being is an ignorant 

 Calabrian. During many years he was a highwayman of the purest 

 water. In 1814, to save himself from the gallows, he became a 

 chief of Sbirri, and engaged to place in the hands of government his 

 former comrades ; but, as the salary he received was not sufficient for 

 the carrying on his vicious habits, he premeditately murdered and 

 robbed a rich old clergyman. Having 1 soon been discovered, he 

 succeeded in effecting his escape, and now drags on his existence by 

 undertaking any dirty job. Both of them have just been bribed by 

 the attorney, and have promised to swear black white, and white 

 black in favour of his client." 



'* Oh, the monsters !'' said I. " Pray, Asmodeus, let us go, because 

 I am already sick of my existence ; but if you continue such exposure 

 I shall be tempted to throw myself overboard, and thus at once make 

 my exit out of the world." 



*' Ha! ha !" exclaimed Asmodeu?, laughing at my threat ; "you will 

 not commit such a blunder. Nay, if you did, then you would indeed 

 give manifest proofs of your insanity. But to efface the disgusting 

 sensation which the sight of those three brutes has excited in your 

 mind, I will now show you two philanthropists. Do you see," added 

 he, pointing to a private apartment near St. James's, " do you see 

 that tall, handsome, and fair gentleman speaking very kindly with 

 that srrey-headed person ?" 



"Yes, I do," answered I. 



" Well," said Asmodeus, " he is a generous, noble-hearted being ; 

 one of the few who do not either discard or stick to the wall their 

 former friends because they are persecuted and in need. Poverty 

 is a very great crime in your fashionable world ; nay, the word poor is 

 far more disagreeable to a fashionable ear than those of swindler and 

 rogue. Look ! look ! he has now fetched a complete suit of his own 

 clothes, and has requested the unfortunate man to try if they fit him. 

 Remark how overjoyed he appears because his poor friend is again 

 comfortably dressed. There, there, he is now giving him some cash, 

 and, in parting, has said, ' Tirons la vie, mon ami viens rae voir, et 

 n'oublie pas que sur cette terre esperance confiance c'est le re- 

 frain du Pelerin/ " 



" Bless him ! bless him !" exclaimed I, " and may he never expe- 

 rience a cloudy day." 



" Bah I" interrupted Asmodeus, " another blunder. You wish him 

 what is impossible. Like yourself, he is a mortal, and must meet 

 with the destiny allotted to all your race. Now, turn this way, and 

 look at that venerable stout gentleman who has just entered into the 

 debtors' prison. See how politely he is entreating that tall man to 

 accept a secour& which he has brought him. Remark how he is dis- 

 pleased because the debtor will not receive the gift unless the donor 

 makes himself known to him. He has, however, said that he belongs 

 to the bar ; that he has by mere chance been informed of the misfor- 

 tune of the prisoner, and has begged him to comply with his request, 



APRIL, 1837. 2D 



