Page:Political history of the devil upon two sticks.pdf/3



What sort of a devil, the Devil upon Two Sticks was; and where and how Don Cleosas Perez Zambullo became ''acquainted with him, &c. &c.''

NE night in October, when thick darkness had overspread the famous city of Madrid, and the weary inhabitants, being retired to their respective homes, had left the streets free to those restless lovers, whose nightly care is to sing their pains or pleasures under the balconies of their mistresses; and now the busy instruments had already roused the careful fathers, and alarmed the jealous husbands. —in short, it was almost midnight, when Don Cleofas Leandro Perez Zambulo, a young student of Alcala, very nimbly bolted out of the garret window of a house, into which the indiscreet son of the Cytherean goddess had enticed him. He endeavoured to preserve his life and honour by flying from three or four bullies, who followed close at his heels, threatning to kill or force him to marry a lady, with whom they had just surprised him.