So he marched on across the desolate plains unresisted, and seeking in vain the cause of the revolt. After a while, however, one of the King’s spies returns, quite out of breath: “Most noble, Lucifer! Moloch, your prince, hath subdued part of the North, and hath cut thousands to pieces upon the glaciers, but there are three or four dangerous evils still threatening you.” “Whom meanest thou?” asked Lucifer. “The Slanderer, the Busybody, and the Lawmonger, have broken out of their prisons and got free.” “No wonder then,” said the Evil One, “if further troubles arise.” Then there comes another spy from the South, informing that matters would soon reach a dire pass in that quarter if the three who had already thrown the West into utter confusion be not taken, namely, the Huntress, the Rogue and the Swaggerer. “Since the day I tempted Adam from his garden,” said Satan, who stood next but one to Lucifer, “I have never seen so many evils of his race at liberty together. The Huntress, the Swaggerer, the Rogue, on the one hand, and on the other, the Slanderer, the Lawmonger and the Busybody—a mixture would make devils reach.” “Little wonder, verily,” said Lucifer, “that they were so much hated by all on earth, seeing that they are capable of causing such trouble to us here.” Not long after, the Huntress comes to meet the King upon the way. “Ho! grandam o’ the breeches,” cries a shrill-voiced demon, “good night to you.” “Thy grandam on which side, prithee?” said she, displeased because he did not “madam” her. “You are a fine king, Lucifer, to keep such impudent rascals about you; a thousand pities that such a vast realm should be under so impotent a ruler; would that I might be made its regent.” Then comes the Swaggerer, nodding in the dark—“Your humble servant, sir,” saith he to one, over his shoulder; “Are you quite well?” to another; “Can I be of any service to you?” addressing a third, with a leering smirk, and to the Huntress: “Your beauty quite fascinates me, madam.” “Oh oh,” cried she, “away with the hell-hound;” and all join in the shout: “Away with this new tormentor, hell on hell that he is!” “Let both be bound together hand and foot,” commanded Lucifer. Soon after the Lawmonger comes on the scene between two devils. “Ho, ho, thou angel of peace,” exclaimed Lucifer, “hast thou come? Keep him safe, guards, at your peril!” Before we had gone far, the Rogue and the Slanderer appeared, chained between forty devils, and whispering to one another. “Most noble Lucifer,” began the Rogue, “I am very sorry there is so much disturbance in your kingdom; but if I may be heard, I will teach you a better method. Under the pretence of holding a Parliament, you can cite all the damned into the burning Evildom, and then bid the devils hurl them headlong to bottomless perdition, and lock them up in its vortex, to trouble you no more.” “But the Common Meddler is still missing,” said Lucifer, frowning most darkly at the Rogue.


