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{87a} In mine own imperial
majesty will I descend upon the earth, and alone will I devour all
therein contained; henceforth no man shall there be found to worship the
Most High." Thereon he gave one terrific flying leap to start--a blaze
of living fire, but the hand overhead whirls the terrible dart so that he
trembles notwithstanding his rage, and ere he had gone far, an invisible
hand drags the brute back by the chain for all his struggles; his rage
becomes sevenfold more vehement, his eyes more fierce than dragons, thick
black clouds of smoke issue from his nostrils, livid flames from his
mouth and bowels, while he gnaws his chain in his grief, and mutters
fearful blasphemy and awful oaths.
At last, finding how futile was his attempt to sunder his bonds and how
unavailing to contend against the Almighty, he returned to his throne and
resumed his speech, in words somewhat more calm, but twice as malignant:
"Though none but the Omnipotent Thunderer could overcome my power and my
guile, to Him I am unwillingly constrained to submit; but I can pour
forth the vials of my wrath here below, nearer at hand, and let loose my
ire upon those who are already under my banner, and within the length of
my chain.


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