" "Ha, ha!" cried Death,
"ye shall bring proof against yourselves; place them on the verge of the
precipice before the throne of Justice; there they will obtain justice,
though they practised it not."
There were yet seven other prisoners, who kept up such commotion and
clamour--some blandishing, gnashing the teeth and uttering threats,
others giving advice and so on. Scarcely had they been summoned to the
bar than the whole court darkened sevenfold more hideously than before, a
murmuring and great confusion arose around the throne, and Death became
more livid than ever. Upon enquiry it seemed that one of Lucifer's
envoys had arrived, bearing a letter to Death, concerning these seven
prisoners; and shortly, Fate called for silence to read the letter which,
as far as I can recollect, was as follows:-
"LUCIFER, King of the Kings of Earth, Prince of Perdition and Archruler
of the Deep, To our natural son, mightiest and most terrible King Death,
greeting, wishing you supremacy and booty without end:
"Whereas some of our swift messengers, who are always out espying, have
informed us that there lately came into your royal court seven prisoners
of the seven most worthless and dangerous species in the world, and that
you are about to hurl them over the precipice into my realm: our advice
is, that you endeavour, by every possible way, to let them return to the
earth; there they will be more serviceable--to you, in the matter of
food, to me, for supplying better company.
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