Page:Rudyard Kipling's verse - Inclusive Edition 1885-1918.djvu/434

 "And Sire, if tooth and nail show truth he has no soul of his own." The Devil he bowed his head on his breast and rumbled deep and low:— "I'm all o'er-sib to Adam's breed that I should bid him go. "Yet close we lie, and deep we lie, and if I gave him place, "My gentlemen that are so proud would flout me to my face; "They'd call my house a common stews and me a careless host, "And—I would not anger my gentlemen for the sake of a shiftless ghost." The Devil he looked at the mangled Soul that prayed to feel the flame, And he thought of Holy Charity, but he thought of his own good name:— "Now ye could haste my coal to waste, and sit ye down to fry. "Did ye think of that theft for yourself?" said he; and Tomlinson said, "Ay!" The Devil he blew an outward breath, for his heart was free from care:— "Ye have scarce the soul of a louse," he said, "but the roots of sin are there. "And for that sin should ye come in were I the lord alone. "But sinful pride has rule inside—ay, mightier than my own. "Honour and Wit, fore-damned they sit, to each his Priest and Whore; "Nay, scarce I dare myself go there, and you they'd torture sore. "Ye are neither spirit nor spirk," he said; "ye are neither book nor brute "Go, get ye back to the flesh again for the sake of Man's repute. "I'm all o'er-sib to Adam's breed that I should mock your pain, "But look that ye win to worthier sin ere ye come back again. "Get hence, the hearse is at your door the grim black stallions wait—