Snakes in Tradition. 65 



But Lucifer is outrageously grotesque. The rising star of 

 David, and the promise of the Messiah through his seed, 

 has filled Satan with fury. He cannot conceal his emotion 

 on hearing the news : 



" Thrice did he knock his iron teeth, thrice howl ; " 



and then, relieved, he reproaches his devils, and asks them 

 why they are not up and doing, instead of stopping at home 

 in Hell "playing with their idle serpents." But his rage 

 chokes further utterance, and breaks off in a hemistich, 

 short by two feet of the proper line, and 



" With that, with his long tail he lashed his breast, 

 And, horribly, spoke out in looks the rest." 



This outburst frightens the crowd into such silence that 



" No hiss of snake, no clank of chain, was known, 

 The souls, amidst their tortures, durst not groan." 



You might have heard a pin drop. But soon there is a 

 movement in the " dire throng," and Envy crawls forth : 



" Her black locks hung long, 

 Attired with curling serpents ; her pale skin 

 Was almost dropp'd from the sharp bones within ; 

 And at her breast stuck vipers, which did prey 

 Upon her panting heart." 



This dreadful personage volunteers her services, and after re- 

 counting her previous exploits very much after the manner 

 of one of Mayne Reid's " braves " going out to scalp a pale- 

 face offers to inspire Saul with mortal jealousy of David : 



" She spoke. All stared at first, and made a pause ; 

 But straight the general murmur of applause 

 Ran through Death's courts." 



"Great Beelzebub" starts up "to embrace the fiend," but 

 she dodges him and is off. 



" The snakes all hissed, the fiends all murmured." 



E 



