Lucifer's Ear [pp. 836-840]

840 LucjeYs Ear.
"for I have taken it like a true knight In the mean time, have patience,
in fair combat; il~erefbre, I shall make which, if it will not serve you to gain
three conditions with which you must heaven, will be of use to you in getcomply." ting back your ean"
"Insolent braggart!" said Lucifer. Lucifer changed from poison to
"Oh! you may spit out the gall; the essence of venom. "You ~re sebut I warn you that I am going to ven times worse than I," said he to
pickle your ear and show it for money," his vanquisher. "By the soul of Nareplied the cavalier. poleon! there is more knavery on
Lucifer danced with rage. earth than in hell. But you shall re "What are your conditions, low- member me! By my horns and tail, I
born, ill-bred, and worse-thriven?" he swear it!" And off he went, pulling at
demanded. his remaining ear for vexation at find "The first is, that you instantly ing himself outwitted by a Christian.
-return il~is princess to her own king- Well, when the princess saw the
dom and palace," said the cavalier. cavalier so finely gotten up, and with
There was nothing for it but to such a splendid following, she recogcomply; so Lucifer placed the prin- nized him, and told her father that he
cess in her royal palace, and then said was her saviour! and that she wishto the cavalier, "Give me my ear." ed to marry him. They were mar
"No," replied the cavalier; "you ried; and f was there, and saw, and
must first transport me, with my three can'e away, and nothin~ was said to
servants and such a kingly suite as n'e; for I sl'jped in and O?lt wit~oid
becomes your vanquisher, to the court bei~~ seen; * mindful of the saying,
of Naples, and into a suitable lodg- "Neither to wedding nor christening
ing, which you will have prepared for go unbidden."
me." But, senor, you must know that,
"It does not suit me, little bully, after the wedding-bread was eaten,
to have you diverting yourself, and the princess and the cavalier led a
triumphing at my expense." cat-and-dog's life together; for the
"Very well. I will publish, with woman's temper and manners had bethe sound of a clarion, that you have come so bad aiid intolerable while she
lost an ear. We shall see then if you remained under the power of Lucifer
can disguise yourself as a notary, law- that no one else could abide them.
yer, agent, money4ender, or lover, So, when the devil appeared to beg
without being found out in less than for his ear, the cavalier said to him,
no time." "I am going to give it to you;
"Now," whimpered Lucifer, after but you must comply with the last
he had placed the cavalier in Naples, condition I impose for its ransom."
with great riches and an immense re- "Knave! Mountebank! You
tinue, "give me my ear." would damn me if I were not damned
"I have it here," said the cavalier, already! And what is this last con"and I don't want it, for it smells of dition?"
sulphur; but you have yet to fulfil " That you take my wife again,"
the third condition." responded the cavalier; "for you are
"What is it, impudent upstart?" like for like, Peter for John."
I am not quite ready to tell it. * Manner of ending a tale.