Page:Artabanzanus (Ferrar, 1896).djvu/111

Rh 'Ask me no questions, Doctor,' replied the Demon, 'and I'll tell you no—— You know the rest. As for this fellow, as soon as you have boiled him well, he shall be publicly drummed out of my army. I offered Ubertus the privilege of beating the drum on that occasion, and he said he would do so with the greatest possible pleasure.' (This was untrue.)

'I understand, sir,' said the Doctor, giving me a significant glance, 'I believe you implicitly, my lord; I shall certainly boil him according to your wish, and let you know when he can be put through the ceremony of drumming out; but I fear my friend Mr. Ubertus will not be able to beat the drum for some time yet.'

'I want Ubertus to come with me now,' said the Demon emphatically. 'He has been with you long enough—too long, I fear, for all the good he is likely to learn from you, but which I thank my stars I can counteract. In another week he returns to the place he came from; but you need not be sorry for that, we shall see him again soon.'

'I beg your pardon, my lord,' replied the Doctor, 'he cannot go just yet. He is not by any means restored to health; in fact, he is weaker than milk-and-water; it would be most dangerous to his soul and spirit, to say nothing of his precious body, to take him from my care so soon.'

'Well, if you say so, Doctor, I shall submit,' said the Demon graciously. 'Have him ready here where we are now on the eighth day from this time.'

'And, my lord Demon, if you will, with your usual goodness, pardon me once more, may I beg that you will take me with you on your next trip. You have often promised me this favour, and I have a very powerful desire to know what the world is like now, and Mr. Ubertus will introduce me to his family and friends.'