" "Sirrah, you too," said Death,
"ought to have kept on the other side of the gulf where everybody is
king; but know that, on this side, there are none besides myself and
another, who dwelleth down below, and you shall see that that king and
myself will set no value upon the degree of your greatness, but rather
upon the degree of your wickedness, and so make your punishment
proportionate to your crimes; therefore give answer to the questions."
"Sir, allow me to tell you that you have no authority to arrest and
examine me," said he, "I hold a pardon under the Pope's own hand for all
my sins. Because I served him faithfully, he gave me a dispensation to
go straight to Paradise, without a moment's stay in Purgatory." At that
the king, and all the lean jaws, gave a dismal grin in imitation of
laughter, and the other, angered at their laughing, ordered them to show
him the way. "Silence, lost fool!" cried Death, "Purgatory lies behind
thee, on the other side of the wall, for it was in life thou hadst ought
to have purified thyself, and Paradise is on the right, beyond that
chasm. Now there is no way of escape for thee, neither across this abyss
to Paradise, nor through the boundary wall back to earth; for wert thou
to give thy kingdom--though thou hast not a ha'penny to give--the warder
of those doors would not let thee look once, even through the keyhole.
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